Congress has placed a hold on a $1 billion military aid package to Israel during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington. Two congressional aides confirmed to The Hill that lawmakers halted the sale, leveraging their authority to block arms transfers exceeding a certain dollar threshold.
The proposed package, reported by The Wall Street Journal, included 4,700 1,000-pound bombs valued at over $700 million and armored bulldozers worth more than $300 million. The decision marks a rare break in the traditionally strong bipartisan support for U.S. military aid to Israel.
The hold comes as tensions rise over President Donald Trump’s staunch backing of Israel’s Likud government. During Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu, The Journal reported that Trump suggested millions of Palestinians leave Gaza permanently, an idea rejected by Arab states and Palestinian leaders. “I hope we can do something where they wouldn’t want to go back,” Trump stated, while discussing U.S.-backed reconstruction efforts for Gaza.
Trump’s proposal drew swift opposition from Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. These nations reaffirmed their stance against the forced displacement of Palestinians. Despite their objections, White House officials hinted that diplomatic negotiations could shift regional perspectives. Trump has invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II to Washington for talks later this month.
The aid freeze also coincides with Trump’s renewed pressure campaign against Iran. While Netanyahu has long pushed for military action against Iran’s nuclear program, Trump has sent mixed signals—alternating between encouraging a strike and leaving room for negotiations. Ahead of his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump reinstated “maximum pressure” sanctions on Iran, reinforcing economic restrictions first imposed during his previous term.
Meanwhile, the hold on Israel’s arms package is linked to broader foreign policy debates, including Trump’s proposed restructuring of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The agency overhaul has become a point of contention in Washington, with Senate Democrats threatening to delay State Department nominees unless the administration reverses course.
Despite congressional opposition, Trump has the option to override the hold. In 2019, he bypassed Congress using an emergency declaration to approve an $8 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan. With Republicans in control of both chambers, Democrats have limited options to counter Trump’s agenda, leaving open the possibility of another executive action to push through the military aid package.
