Over 100 House Democrats on Wednesday voted in favor of an amendment put forward by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to cut $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel, marking a major shift as congressional Democrats grapple with growing skepticism of the US-Israel relationship among their voter base.
The amendment would have removed $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing, a State Department program that provides foreign governments with funding to purchase US weapons, from the 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act.
Massie’s amendment was defeated in a 104-314 vote, but more Democrats supported the effort than voted against it. A total of 103 Democrats voted yes, 98 voted no, 10 voted present, and four didn’t vote. Massie was the lone Republican to support the amendment.
Ahead of the vote, there was a split among Democratic leadership, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY) saying that he would oppose it and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (MA), the number 2 Democrat in the House, coming out in support of Massie’s amendment.
Clark appeared to criticize Massie’s effort, suggesting it was a “cynical effort” to “divide people,” but added that it was a “chance to say clearly that the status quo is not acceptable.”
“There is no country that should be given a blank check for military aid that is not in line with our interests and values as Americans,” Clark said.
The vote is a stark contrast to an amendment last year offered by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to strip $500 million in military aid for Israel from the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which overwhelmingly failed in a vote of 6-422.
Wednesday’s vote comes as the US continues to support Israel’s wars and occupations in Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank, and as the IDF continues killing Palestinians and taking control of more territory in Gaza in violation of the US-backed ceasefire deal signed in October 2025. Ahead of the vote, Massie said he would “vote against using American tax dollars to fund genocide.”
