Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to phase out Israel’s reliance on U.S. military aid within the next decade, signaling a long-term shift toward full defense self-sufficiency.

In an interview published Friday by The Economist, Netanyahu said Israel aims to gradually reduce American military assistance over the next 10 years. When asked whether that reduction would eventually reach zero, he replied, “Yes.”

Netanyahu said he conveyed this position to President Donald Trump during a recent visit, expressing deep appreciation for decades of U.S. military support while emphasizing Israel’s growing defense capabilities.

“We very deeply appreciate the military aid that America has given us over the years,” Netanyahu said. “But here too, we’ve come of age and developed incredible capacities.”

In December, Netanyahu announced plans for Israel to invest 350 billion shekels (about $110 billion) to build an independent arms industry, a move designed to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

The United States and Israel currently operate under a 10-year military aid agreement signed in 2016, running through September 2028, which provides $38 billion in assistance — including $33 billion in grants for military equipment and $5 billion for missile defense programs.

Israel’s defense sector has already been expanding. Defense exports rose 13% last year, driven by major international contracts for Israeli military technology, including advanced multi-layered air defense systems.

Netanyahu’s remarks drew attention in Washington. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Israel and close ally of Trump, responded on X by calling for a faster reduction in aid.

“We need not wait ten years,” Graham wrote. “The billions in taxpayer dollars saved by expediting the termination of military aid to Israel should be reinvested in the U.S. military. I will be presenting a proposal to Israel and the Trump administration to dramatically accelerate the timetable.”