Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed has welcomed US President Donald Trump’s plan to end military aid to Israel, also calling for a complete halt to American arms sales to the Jewish state, NPR reported on Wednesday.
“I think the president is actually right on this policy,” El-Sayed said in an interview with NPR. “I’d also like to see us stop selling weaponry that gets used to do the worst things, including genocide and apartheid, to Israel.”
Background
- El-Sayed's opposition to US military assistance to Israel was a prominent issue throughout his Senate campaign, during which he accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and called for an end to American military support.
President Trump announced on Tuesday that he had reached an agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu several months ago to end approximately $4 billion in annual US military aid to Israel by December 2026. However, the details of the agreement remain unclear.
El-Sayed, who defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, also called for a broader review of US military support for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Pakistan, arguing that American taxpayer dollars should instead be spent domestically.
Trump said in an interview with Fox & Friends on Tuesday that Netanyahu had initially proposed ending the assistance, telling him, “I think it would be appropriate if we do not receive aid.” Despite the proposed cuts, Trump reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to Israel and emphasized the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Netanyahu had previously stated his intention to gradually end Israel’s dependence on US military assistance, telling The Economist earlier this year that he wanted to reduce Israel’s reliance on American financial support to zero within the next decade.
The existing US-Israel military assistance agreement provides Israel with $3.8 billion annually through fiscal year 2028, raising questions about how the administration intends to implement the proposed cuts.
El-Sayed’s opposition to US military assistance to Israel was a prominent issue throughout his Senate campaign. He has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and called for an end to American military support for the country. In his victory speech, he stated, “we don’t want our money sent to do apartheid, or genocide, or war.”
This position placed him in an unusual agreement with Trump on ending military aid to Israel, although the two differ on whether Washington should continue selling weapons to the country.
For earlier coverage on Trump’s announcement, see Trump announces end of $3.8 billion annual aid to Israel by 2027.
What happens next
Trump's announcement raises questions about the existing US-Israel military assistance agreement, which is scheduled to run until 2028. It remains unclear how the Trump administration plans to implement the proposed cuts, though Trump has stated Israel would still be able to purchase American weapons and could receive assistance if necessary.
Why it matters for Nepal
Nepal and Israel established diplomatic relations on June 1, 1960. On October 7, 2023, ten Nepali students were killed in an attack by Hamas in Israel, and one Nepali youth, Bipin Joshi, has been missing since that day. Currently, over 4,500 Nepali caregivers, mostly women, live and work in Israel.
