US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he “completely controls the Middle East,” describing Israel as the United States’ “assistant.” In a phone interview with Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” as polling stations opened for the midterm elections, he said: “Israel is the assistant. We are the big one and they are the small one,” adding that Iranians refer to the two countries as the “Great Satan” and the “Little Satan.”
End of annual aid
In the most prominent part of the interview, Trump said the United States would stop paying annual aid to Israel by the end of this year. “Regarding payments to Israel, Bibi Netanyahu and I made an agreement to give Israel $4 billion a year, and we agreed months ago that we would stop,” he said. “We have already agreed that by the end of this year we will not pay Israel. They agree with that. We will help Israel if it needs it.” He said Israel no longer needs the money and that its military would still be able to purchase US weapons.
Israel receives US military aid under a 10-year memorandum of understanding signed in 2016 that provides for $38 billion between 2019 and 2028, including $3.3 billion annually in foreign military financing and $500 million for missile defense programs. Trump did not explain how the payments would be ended before the memorandum expires, while Netanyahu’s office did not immediately comment.
Remarks on Muslims and Jews
Trump also sparked controversy by saying: “With Muslims comes hatred of Jews, the long-standing hatred of Jews,” without providing further explanation for the generalization.
“A minor attack, not a war”
Regarding the US strike that targeted a recently completed Iranian air-defense facility overnight, Trump said: “It was just a minor attack. It was not a war.” His remarks came as Americans voted in elections that will determine control of the House of Representatives and Senate, amid dissatisfaction with the handling of the war with Iran. A Pew Research Center poll showed that 65% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s performance on the issue, while 33% approved. The Associated Press said Netanyahu was under pressure to carry out more strikes on Iran after the elections.
Video: Fox News. Photo: TRT
