US Secretary of State Rubio: We no longer need to provide funding to Israel

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington no longer needs to provide financing to Israel, arguing the country has reached sufficient economic strength and that the relationship should shift to an arms-sales-only model. Rubio, speaking in support of Defense Secretary Hegseth, signaled the change as a matter of policy direction rather than a specific budget figure. The remarks matter because US aid to Israel has long been a fixed line in the bilateral relationship, and any move toward sales-only support would reshape how defense transfers are structured and funded. Rubio also flagged artificial intelligence as a source of both economic and security risk, broadening his comments beyond the Israel portfolio. Watch for whether the administration formalizes the shift in future aid packages or continues current funding levels in the interim.