Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has said she will be introducing an amendment to remove $500 million in military aid for “nuclear-armed Israel” from the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), marking a rare acknowledgement of Israel’s nuclear weapons from a member of Congress.
The US has a policy of ambiguity toward Israel’s nuclear weapons program and does not acknowledge its existence or pressure Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It’s estimated that Israel has somewhere between 90 and 300 nuclear weapons.
“I’m entering amendments to strike $500 million more for nuclear-armed Israel. And it’s important to say nuclear-armed Israel, because they do have nuclear weapons,” Greene told Steve Bannon on his “War Room” podcast.
“And we already give them $3.4 billion every single year in the state, from the State Department. $3.4 billion every single year. They don’t need another $500 million in our defense budget. That’s for the American people’s defense,” Greene added.
The US provides Israel with $3.8 billion in military aid each year under a memorandum of understanding signed between Israel and the Obama administration. Of that amount, $3.3 billion is provided through the State Department’s Foreign Military Financing program, and $500 billion goes toward missile defense through the Pentagon.
The US has also provided billions of dollars in additional military aid after October 7, 2023. According to Israeli media, the US has financed roughly 70% of Israel’s war-related military spending since then.
Greene went on to stress the importance of acknowledging Israel’s nuclear weapons. “And Israel, you can—nuclear-armed Israel, I think it’s really important to phrase it that way. Nuclear-armed Israel doesn’t need $500 million more from the American people. Our government just bombed Iran on their behalf and destroyed their nuclear,” she said.
The ambiguity around Israel’s nuclear weapons program allows the US to provide military assistance without worrying about the Symington Amendment, a foreign assistance law that prohibits aid to countries that traffic in nuclear enrichment equipment or technology outside of IAEA safeguards.
Greene also said she was introducing amendments to cut military aid to Taiwan and Jordan. “Another amendment, $500 million for Taiwan. I’m entering an amendment that strikes that. We give them $300 million every year in the State Department. And they just got $2 billion, $2 billion with a B, in 2024 from the foreign aid supplemental under the Biden administration,” she said.
“I’m also entering an amendment to strike $500 million to Jordan. Jordan doesn’t need it. They get $1.6 billion every single year from the State Department. So I’m entering amendments to strike those,” Greene added.
