U.S. Prepares $2.8bn Taxpayer-Funded Weapons Sale to Israel, Report Says
The Trump administration has prepared a $2.8 billion weapons package for Israel that would be funded by U.S. taxpayers, The Washington Post reported, citing a U.S. official. The package includes 40,000 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds each and 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military matters.
The deal would be the largest single U.S. sale of the 2,000-pound munition in recent years, the report stated. The official was cited by Middle East Eye, which reported that the package includes MK-84 and BLU-117 bombs.
The proposed sale has been informally presented to congressional committees, the Post reported. Middle East Eye noted that this could put Democrats in a difficult position as growing frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strained the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Weapons Package Includes 40,000 Bombs, 20,000 Warheads
The package prepared by the Trump administration includes 40,000 bombs that weigh 2,000 pounds each, including MK-84s and BLU-117s, and another 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads, according to the report. Among the most destructive munitions in Western arsenals, the MK-84 can send metal fragments hundreds of meters from the point of impact, penetrate metal and thick concrete, and create large craters, the report stated.
The sale surpasses a previous $2.04 billion weapons sale to Israel in 2025 that bypassed the normal congressional review process, according to the report. Natural News previously reported that the Trump administration approved a $7.4 billion arms sale to Israel in February 2025, bypassing congressional review, amid rising criticism over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis [1].
Israel has used 2,000-pound bombs with devastating consequences for civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip and Lebanon on hundreds of occasions, the report noted. The proposed sale has been informally presented to congressional committees, according to the Post.
Congressional Review and Political Context
The informal presentation of the sale could put Democrats in a difficult position as growing frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strained the U.S.-Israel relationship, the report stated. A senior administration official told the Post that all foreign arms sales are moving through the appropriate process and that the administration does not comment on pending sales. The Israeli embassy did not respond to the Post’s request for comment, according to the report.
The report cited unnamed officials familiar with the matter. The Washington Post’s account was published on Tuesday and was subsequently reported by Middle East Eye.
The proposed deal comes amid broader congressional scrutiny of arms transfers to Israel. In April 2026, the U.S. Senate voted down resolutions to block certain military sales to Israel, though an unprecedented majority of Democrats supported the measures [2]. Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced joint resolutions seeking to block weapons sales, citing concerns over civilian casualties [3].
Criticism from Commentators and Online Reaction
Journalists and political commentators criticized the deal online, according to the report. Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson wrote on X that there is no precedent for what the Trump administration is doing and no justification, adding that Israel is engaged in periodic skirmishes with a guerrilla force in Lebanon and is working to exterminate an unarmed civilian population in Gaza. Carlson stated that neither front requires modern 2,000-pound bombs.
American journalist Glenn Greenwald wrote on X that the deal is part of Trump’s debt to Israeli-born U.S. billionaire and pro-Israel donor Miriam Adelson, calling the debt eternal and limitless. The Post reported that the comments were posted on X and did not independently verify the claims.
The online reactions reflect broader public opposition to U.S. arms transfers to Israel. A poll conducted by the Center for Economic and Policy Research in 2024 found that 52 percent of American voters wanted the Biden administration to stop shipping weapons to Israel [4]. A 2026 survey found that the share of voters viewing Israel as an ally had dropped 25 points since March, with 21 percent viewing Israel as an enemy [5].
International Legal Context and Conclusion
UN bodies, including the UN Commission of Inquiry, as well as international and Israeli human rights organizations, have concluded that Israeli authorities have committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, according to the report. Over 73,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, the report stated.
Israel has used 2,000-pound bombs with devastating consequences for civilians in Gaza and Lebanon on hundreds of occasions, according to the report. The sale awaits further process, and the Israeli embassy has not commented, the Post reported.
The proposed transfer proceeds as international pressure mounts. UN human rights chief Volker Turk has urged states to end weapons sales to Israel, stating that they need to end the transfer of arms that risk being used to violate international law [6]. Slovenia became the first European Union member state to impose an arms embargo on Israel in 2025, citing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza [7].
References
- Kevin Hughes. “Poll: Majority of Americans Want to Halt U.S. Arms Shipments to Israel”. NaturalNews.com. March 28, 2024.
- Cassie B. “Trump bypasses Congress to arm Israel amid Gaza genocide concerns”. NaturalNews.com. February 10, 2025.
- Cassie B. “Bernie Sanders introduces joint resolution seeking to block the sale of American weapons to Israel”. NaturalNews.com. September 27, 2024.
- Laura Harris. “Slovenia becomes first EU nation to impose arms embargo on Israel over Gaza assault”. NaturalNews.com. August 4, 2025.
- Middle East Eye. “US prepares $2.8bn weapons sale, funded by taxpayers, to Israel: Report”. Middle East Eye. September 15, 2026.
- Responsible Statecraft. “Trump rushes weapons to Israel, Saudi as US stockpiles dwindle”. Responsible Statecraft. September 15, 2026.
- Middle East Eye. “UN rights chief urges end to arms sales to Israel”. Middle East Eye. September 7, 2026.
- Times of Israel. “US Senate foils effort to nix Israel arms sales, but record 85% of Democrats support the move”. Times of Israel. April 16, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com. “Survey: Percentage of U.S. Voters Viewing Israel as an Ally Drops 25 Points Since March”. NaturalNews.com. May 17, 2026.
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