Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed welcomed US President Donald Trump's plan to end military aid to Israel, while 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."
El-Sayed, who defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's Senate race on Tuesday, 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 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.
The president said Israel would still be able to purchase American weapons and could receive assistance if necessary.
However, the details of the agreement remain unclear. 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.
Trump says Netanyahu proposed ending military aid
In an interview with Fox & Friends on Tuesday, Trump said Netanyahu had initially proposed ending the assistance.
“Can I be honest with you? He brought it up. He brought it up,” Trump said.
According to the president, Netanyahu told 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.
“Well, first of all, I have a tremendous relationship in terms of partnership with Israel,” he said. “We have a tremendous fighting force to keep the Middle East. Like, look at the Middle East. I have total control. We do it. We have a helper, and it’s Israel because, you know, we are the big, they are the small.”
Netanyahu previously said he intended to gradually end Israel's dependence on US military assistance.
In an interview with The Economist earlier this year, the prime minister said he wanted to reduce Israel's reliance on American financial support to zero within the next decade, describing the process as already “in progress.”
Netanyahu said he wanted Israel to be “as independent as possible,” arguing that reducing its reliance on American assistance could also help improve the country's international standing.
El-Sayed's criticism of Israel emerged as key campaign issue
El-Sayed's opposition to US military assistance to Israel was a prominent issue throughout his Senate campaign.
The Michigan Democrat has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and called for an end to American military support for the country.
His position on Israel became a major point of contention during the election, particularly after Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, whom El-Sayed defeated in the party's primary, withdrew her endorsement and backed Rogers instead.
El-Sayed reiterated his position during his victory speech, saying that "we don't want our money sent to do apartheid, or genocide, or war."
His comments on Wednesday placed him in an unusual position of agreement with Trump on ending military aid to Israel, although the two differ on whether Washington should continue selling weapons to the country.
Idan Kweller, Goldie Katz, Tobias Holcman, and the Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.