Netanyahu Unveils $108 Billion Arms Investment Ahead of Mar-a-Lago Meeting With Trump
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a sweeping $108 billion defense investment on Wednesday to build a self-reliant munitions industry, just days before a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
The initiative, set to unfold over the next decade, marks a decisive pivot in Israeli defense strategy amid rising calls in the U.S. — from both the Left and the Right — to curtail American military aid to the Jewish state.
“I approved, along with the defense minister and finance minister, a sum of NIS 350 billion over the next decade to build an independent Israeli munitions industry,” Netanyahu said during a speech at an Israeli Air Force graduation ceremony. He emphasized that Israel must “reduce our dependence on all players, including friends.”
The announcement comes as several countries, including under the Biden administration, have moved to block or restrict arms sales to Israel, especially since the war with Hamas reignited in October 2023. The list of nations pulling back includes Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Trump on Monday in Florida. The two leaders will reportedly finalize a Trump-backed proposal to establish a new governing entity for Gaza, supported by a “Board of Peace” led by former UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior advisor Jared Kushner are said to be working with Arab partners and Turkey on a second-phase ceasefire deal focused on demilitarizing the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu’s new defense spending plan aligns with his longstanding push to turn Israel into a “super-Sparta” — a term he later clarified would apply only to its military industry. The goal is to shield Israel from foreign political pressure and ensure operational autonomy regardless of global sentiment.
Israel already ranks as the eighth-largest arms exporter in the world, with $15 billion in sales in 2024. But the country has still relied heavily on American defense systems, particularly since the October 7 terror attacks.
That dynamic may be changing. Israel’s Iron Beam laser system, developed with both Rafael Defense Industries and Lockheed Martin, is expected to be deployed imminently. The system is capable of neutralizing rockets, drones, and mortars for as little as $2 per shot — a dramatic improvement over the Iron Dome’s $100,000–$1 million per-intercept price tag. The U.S. Army is also reportedly integrating the Iron Beam technology into its own directed-energy weapons program.
American military aid to Israel currently totals about $3.8 billion per year, including $3.3 billion in foreign military financing that must be used on U.S. equipment, plus $500 million for joint missile defense projects. Supporters say the funding helps deter Iran and other threats while subsidizing American defense contractors and strengthening U.S. readiness through battlefield-tested systems.
But pressure is mounting on Capitol Hill to pull back. Lawmakers across the spectrum — from Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie to Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib — have introduced amendments aimed at reducing or cutting off aid. A July amendment to slash $500 million from Iron Dome funding failed, but signaled a growing rift.
Inside Israel, a parallel debate is unfolding. Some argue that reliance on American weapons gives Washington too much leverage and undermines Israeli sovereignty. Netanyahu’s massive investment announcement appears to be a direct answer to that concern.
With a new Gaza blueprint on the table, the meeting between Netanyahu and Trump could mark a major turning point — not just for Middle East diplomacy, but for the future of U.S.-Israel military cooperation.