President Donald Trump on Monday told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US might not drop its new 17% tariff on Israel because we “give [them] four billion dollars a year” and they’re “one of the highest” recipients of foreign aid.
When asked by a reporter if the US would reduce the new 17% tariff on Israeli goods, Trump responded: “Well, we’re talking about a whole new trade — maybe not, maybe not.”
“Now, don’t forget we help Israel a lot. You know, we give Israel $4 billion a year. That’s a lot. Congratulations, by the way. That’s pretty good,” Trump quipped. “But we give Israel billions of dollars a year. Billions. It’s one of the highest of any — we give a lot of countries money.”
Israel’s not simply “one of the highest recipients” of foreign aid but the highest recipients of foreign aid — and it’s not even close. The aid money we give to Egypt is also a bribe to normalize relations with Israel.