The political world did a double-take when Senator Lindsey Graham announced Saturday that he was drafting a proposal to terminate U.S. military aid to Israel. As one of the known stalwart defenders of Israel in Congress, he has voted for aid packages, written op-eds, and delivered speeches in defense of the Jewish state with the consistency of someone for whom principle and politics align.
The South Carolina Republican, who presently chairs the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, did not simply suggest a reduction or a gradual phase-out. Graham proposed to “dramatically” expedite the end of military assistance to Israel, redirecting the billions in taxpayer dollars back into the American military.
For starters, the United States has provided Israel more than $300 billion in aid since its founding in 1948, which makes it the single-largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid in history. In 2024, America spent a record $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel in the wake of Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023.
Senator Lindsey Graham;
God bless To all who are sacrificing in Iran.
He added that HELP IS ON THE WAY.#Iran #IranRevolution2026 #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/DPy4fJVbFA
— Globaldailyy News (@globaldailyy) January 10, 2026
“The aid we have provided to Israel has been a great investment keeping the Israel Defense Forces strong, sharing technology, and making their military more capable—to the benefit of the United States,” the senator wrote. “Apparently there is a desire by Israel to change that dynamic because they have a roaring economy.”
Lindsey Graham continued, “I will always appreciate allies who are trying to be more self-sufficient and believe that, given what the Prime Minister said, we need not wait ten years. The billions in taxpayer dollars that would be saved by expediting the termination of military aid to Israel will and should be plowed back into the U.S. military, which is the best in the world and in great demand.”
The announcement sent shockwaves through political circles and social media. Mike Cernovich, a prominent pro-Trump right-wing influencer, shared a cryptic post saying, “Something is amiss here.” Even Josh Ruebner, policy director of the IMUE Policy Project and adjunct lecturer at Georgetown University, expressed bewilderment.
“Pro-Israel stalwart Sen. Lindsey Graham just said that he’s introducing a proposal to ‘expedite’ ending US government handouts of weapons to Israel,” Ruebner wrote. “What? It’s not April Fools Day is it?”
🇺🇸🇮🇱Lindsey Graham:
“Israel is our friend, surrounded by people who would cut their throats if they could. This is not a hard choice if you’re an American and a Christian.
If America pulls the plug on Israel, God will pull the plug on us, and we’re not going to let that happen” pic.twitter.com/iTjGX70g8k
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) November 22, 2025
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, described the moment as a “tectonic shift” in American foreign policy.
“I don’t think most appreciate the tectonic shift that occurred today with the announcement by pro-Israel Senator Lindsey Graham, following Netanyahu’s own declarations, about the intention to wind down US dollar aid to Israel within the next 10 years,” Alkhatib posted. “This shift will pose all sorts of questions and changes when it comes to the US-Israel relation, US leverage, the anti-Israel camp, pro-Israel lobbying, and a whole host of international and geopolitical issues.”
What Lindsey Graham failed to explain was what prompted this dramatic reversal. His framing suggested it was Israel’s own initiative. However, observers questioned whether something deeper was at work.
