Trump Stops Palestinian Security Funding

President Donald Trump has pulled the plug on all U.S. funding for the Palestinian Authoritys security forces. The decision hit the wires on February 19 2025. It marks a sharp break from past policy. This aid once trained forces to keep order in the West Bank. Trump says it is a waste of cash. He claims it props up a group that fuels unrest against Israel. The move has sparked fierce reactions.

The funding cut is total. No dollar amount was specified in early reports. But it ends a program that ran through the U.S. Security Coordinator in Jerusalem. That office trained Palestinian units to fight terror and work with Israel. Past budgets hit 60 million dollars yearly. Trump axed it all. His team argues the Palestinian Authority cannot be trusted. They point to its payments to families of attackers as proof.

Context matters here. The Palestinian Authority governs parts of the West Bank. It has coordinated with Israel on security since the 1990s Oslo Accords. That teamwork cut violence for years. But tensions spiked lately. Terror attacks in 2024 killed 30 Israelis. The IDF blames lax Palestinian policing. Trump agrees. He says U.S. money should not fund a failing system. Better spent elsewhere.

Israel cheers this move. Prime Minister Netanyahu has long pushed to defund the Authority. He calls it a terror backer masquerading as a government. Recent laws there ban the group from operating in Israel. Trumps decision aligns with that hard line. Some U.S. allies disagree. They warn it could destabilize the region. Without training. Palestinian forces might collapse. Chaos could follow.

Critics see hypocrisy. The U.S. still pumps 4 billion dollars yearly into Israels military. Yet Trump zeros out far less for Palestinians. They argue security aid kept a lid on violence. Now. The West Bank faces a power vacuum. Hamas could fill it. That group already rules Gaza with an iron fist. Trump shrugs this off. He says America should not bankroll enemies of its allies.

The timing stings. Palestinian forces recently clashed with locals in Jenin. A December 2024 firefight left five dead. Training was already stalled by prior cuts. Now it is gone for good. A senior officer there told reporters they need gear like virtual ranges. Israel blocks live ammo imports. Without U.S. help. They will scramble for cash elsewhere. Options are slim.

Trump ties this to bigger goals. He wants a fast peace deal between Israel and its foes. Cutting aid pressures the Authority to talk. Or so he hopes. Past presidents tried this carrot-and-stick play. It rarely worked. Palestinians see it as a slap. Their leaders froze U.S. ties after Trumps 2018 Jerusalem move. This widens that rift. Peace looks further off.

Fallout is brewing. Congress might push back. Some Democrats call it reckless. They want stability over punishment. Trumps base loves it though. They see it as standing with Israel. Taxpayers save a buck too. The White House stands firm. No aid unless the Authority shapes up. For now. The West Bank braces for trouble. Trump bets this forces change. Risky move.