November 4th, 2026: Trump Announces Major Shift in America's Military Support for Israel & NATO Plans Russian Strikes

It's Wednesday, the 4th of November. Welcome to the president's daily brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right. Let's get briefed. First up, President Trump announces plans to end nearly $4 billion in annual USAID to Israel. That's under a new agreement that he says was reached months ago with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I'll have the details. Later in the show, NATO is developing plans to strike a deep inside Russian territory in the event of a war with Moscow, marking a significant shift in the Alliance's military strategy. Plus, the Kremlin confirms that Russia, Ukraine and the US will head to the negotiating table next week for a new round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi. And in today's back of the brief, Hungary prepares to expose tens of thousands of communist era informants, potentially revealing which friends, neighbors and family members were secretly spying for the government. But first, today's PDB spotlight. President Trump has announced plans to end nearly $4 billion in annual American military assistance to Israel, potentially bringing an end to a decade's long financial arrangement that has helped underpin the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem. The president says he reached an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu once ago, and noted that the US will stop providing the money at the end of this year. Instead, going forward, Israel would purchase American weapons using its own funds. Trump revealed the arrangement Tuesday morning during an interview with Fox News. He said Netanyahu actually proposed ending the assistance, arguing that Israel had become economically successful enough to pay for its own defense. According to Trump, "they've become a very successful country. They don't need it." The president also made clear that domestic politics played a role. He argued that annual assistance has become an easy target for Democrats who question why American taxpayers are providing billions of dollars to a wealthy foreign country. But the announcement raises some immediate questions. For one thing, the existing American military assistance agreement isn't scheduled to expire until September, 2028. That agreement was negotiated under President Barack Obama back in 2016. It committed the US to providing Israel with $38 billion over 10 years, subject to congressional approval. That works out to approximately $3.8 billion annually, including $3.3 billion in military financing and another $500 million for missile defense programs. And this arrangement is only the latest chapter in a financial relationship that of course stretches back more than seven decades. When Israel was established in 1948, the US was not immediately its principal military supplier. Washington provided economic assistance, including a $100 million export import bank loan back in 1949, while France initially supplied much of Israel's advanced weaponry. And that began to change during the 1960s, as Washington approved increasingly sophisticated military equipment for Israel, including hawk anti-aircraft missiles and eventually F-4 phantom fighter jets. But the real turning point came in 1973 during the Yom Kippur War. After Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel, President Richard Nixon authorized an emergency American military resupply operation. Congress subsequently approved $2.2 billion in emergency military assistance and financing. And from that point forward, large-scale American military support became a central feature of the relationship. Over the following decades, successive administrations expanded the arrangement, eventually establishing multi-year agreements that provided Israel with predictable funding for major weapons purchases. According to the Congressional Research Service, collectively over the years, Israel has received approximately $174 billion in American assistance through fiscal year 2025, without adjusting for inflation. But while Israel has remained heavily dependent on American military technology, its economy has also grown considerably. And Netanyahu has previously discussed gradually ending the country's reliance on US financial assistance. In January of this year, he told the economist that Israel wanted to phase out American military aid over the next 10 years. Trump's announcement would accelerate that timetable. Now, there's an important distinction here. Ending military grants does not mean ending American military support for Israel. Trump says Washington will continue selling advanced weapons to Israel, and would still help its ally if necessary. The proposed arrangement could also involve expanded cooperation on military technology, weapons manufacturing, and joint defense projects. In other words, Israel will increasingly become a paying customer rather than a recipient of American financial assistance. And there's an American economic component to consider. Much of the current assistance must be spent purchasing American-made military equipment. That means billions of dollars flow through Israel and back into American defense companies supporting weapons manufacturers and their suppliers. There is also the question of how Trump intends to terminate the arrangement. The current 10-year agreement is not a binding treaty, but Congress controls federal appropriations and lawmakers have already established a framework for assistance through 2028. The White House has not explained how the administration intends to end that funding nearly two years early. And as of Tuesday, Netanyahu's office had not publicly confirmed the details. The announcement has already drawn criticism from Israeli opposition figures. Former military chief Guidee Eisenkut questioned why Israel's defense establishment appeared to be learning about the change through the media. An opposition leader, Yehr Golan, warned that ending American assistance could place financial pressure on Israeli taxpayers. For Netanyahu, reducing dependence on American grants could provide Israel with greater financial autonomy, although the country would still rely heavily on American aircraft, weapons systems, replacement parts, and military cooperation. So the larger question isn't whether the US and Israel are ending their security partnership. Neither leader has suggested anything of the sort. It's whether the two countries are preparing to fundamentally change how that partnership is financed, and what responsibilities each government will assume going forward. Trump says the decision has already been made, but with the existing aid agreement running through 2028, Netanyahu's government still, to publicly explain its position and Congress holding authority over the money, well several major questions do remain unanswered. All right, coming up next, NATO develops plans to strike deep inside Russia in the event of a major future conflict. While Washington and the Kremlin reportedly agree to new peace talks, and supposedly Ukraine will be included at the table. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, we've all heard those radio ads about the IRS. You know the ones I'm talking about. They tell you to be afraid and they try to frighten you into calling. Well, tax relief advocates is different. If you owe money to the IRS, whether it's 5,000 or 50,000 or 500,000, TRA has a solution to your tax problem. Look, don't lose hope. TRA could reduce or even eliminate what you owe to the IRS. 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That could mean striking Russian airfields, command centers, ammunition depots, supply networks, and other major military installations hundreds of miles beyond the front lines. The objective would be to cripple Russia's ability to sustain an invasion rather than simply fighting Russian troops as they cross into NATO territory. The strategy is being developed under U.S. Air Force General Alexis Grinkovich, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander for Europe. In June, he hosted the Alliance's first deep strike symposium in Belgium, bringing together military commanders, defense officials, and weapons manufacturers to examine how long-range precision strikes could be incorporated into NATO's defense plans. Russia is built around what Grinkovich calls NATO's theory of victory, which consists of three stages, block, blunt, and break. First, NATO would attempt to block Russian forces from gaining control of allied territory. Next, it would blunt the attack using coordinated military operations. to stop the enemy's advance. Finally, NATO would seek to break the military system supporting the invasion, targeting the command networks and supply lines and reinforcements, and that would allow Russian forces to continue fighting. It's a strategy heavily influenced by what military planners have been watching in Ukraine. For years, Ukrainian forces have struggled to defend their cities and infrastructure against waves of Russian missiles and drones. Intercepting those weapons is expensive, and even the most advanced air defenses can become overwhelmed by sustained attacks. Ukraine has increasingly responded by taking the fight to Russia, launching long-range strikes against airfields, ammunition depots, oil facilities, and other targets supporting Moscow's war effort. NATO planners are drawing a lesson from those operations. Rather than relying entirely on defensive systems to intercept incoming attacks, it may be more effective to strike the infrastructure, enabling those attacks in the first place. But putting that strategy into practice presents some serious challenges. For one thing, NATO would need substantially larger stockpiles of long-range precision weapons. The US already possesses systems such as Tomahawk cruise missiles and attackums, while European countries are developing and purchasing additional long-range capabilities. But manufacturing enough weapons to sustain a major conflict could take years. There's also the question of whether NATO's political leaders would authorize strikes against targets deep inside Russia, even if Moscow attacked the Alliance first. Russia has repeatedly warned that attacks on its territory could trigger a major escalation, potentially including nuclear retaliation. While NATO's plans focus on conventional military operations, commanders can't entirely eliminate the risk of a confrontation spiraling beyond their control. And that creates a difficult balancing act. NATO wants Moscow to believe that any attack against the Alliance would result in devastating consequences for Russia's military. But maintaining that deterrent requires both the weapons to carry out those threats and the political willingness to use them. Okay, staying with Russia, the Kremlin has confirmed that Moscow will return to the negotiating table next week for a new round of peace talks with both Ukraine and the US. The discussions are scheduled from November 10th and 11th in Abu Dhabi, marking the resumption of American-mediated negotiations after months of diplomatic uncertainty. But even as the two sides prepare to meet, Russia has launched another massive assault against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, raising questions, of course, about Moscow's willingness to bring the fighting to an end. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the talks on Tuesday announcing that Vladimir Medinsky, a senior aide to President Putin, will lead the Russian delegation. The American team is expected to include US envoy Steve Whitkov and Jared Kushner, who have been, of course, leading Washington's efforts to negotiate a settlement. Ukrainian representatives will also attend. The meetings will be the first American-mediated peace negotiations since February, when diplomatic efforts were interrupted by the outbreak of the war with Iran. According to Reuters, Putin agreed to resume negotiations following discussions with Whitkov in St. Petersburg two weeks ago. The agenda is expected to cover several major issues, including reducing hostilities, post-war security guarantees, humanitarian measures, and the broader terms of a potential peace agreement. American officials are also consulting with European allies and NATO representatives about just what security arrangements might look like once the fighting ends, and how Ukraine's reconstruction could be supported. Ukrainian President Zelensky has outlined several priorities for the talks, among them is a halt to attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure, restoring commercial shipping through the Black Sea, and expanding prisoner exchanges. Keeve also wants to discuss about security guarantees that would prevent Russia from launching another invasion after an agreement is reached. But the renewed diplomatic effort comes against the backdrop of another major Russian bombardment. Overnight Monday into Tuesday, Russian forces launched an enormous missile and drone attack against Ukraine, because, frankly, nothing demonstrates a willingness to negotiate peace like an enormous missile and drone attack. According to Ukrainian officials, the assault involved 289 drones, 17 ballistic missiles, and 59 cruise missiles, a total of 365 munitions launched against targets across the country. The attacks damaged electricity infrastructure in multiple regions, forcing emergency blackouts and leaving large numbers of Ukrainians without reliable power. Ukraine's largest private energy producer, Detek, reported that three of its five thermal power plants had been knocked off line. Other strikes damaged hospitals and civilian buildings, with dozens of people reported injured. Russia's Defense Ministry acknowledged conducting the operation, claiming its forces struck four power plants, two electrical substations, and port infrastructure along the Danube River. Moscow insisted the facilities were supporting Ukrainian military factories and armed forces. Reuters was unable to independently verify those claims. Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued conducting strikes of its own. Ukrainian forces reportedly attacked a major Russian oil refinery in Yaroslavl, part of Kyiv's ongoing campaign against Russia's energy sector and the infrastructure supporting its war effort. And despite the agreement to resume negotiations, the fundamental disagreements, of course, between Moscow and Kyiv remain unresolved. Russia continues to demand territorial concessions, including territory that it doesn't control, while Kyiv refuses to surrender territory that it still controls. Ukraine is also demanding credible security guarantees, something that Moscow has repeatedly resisted, and Putin has shown little willingness to accept an unconditional ceasefire before the broader terms of a settlement are negotiated. For Washington, the challenge is determining whether Moscow's return to the negotiating table represents a genuine willingness to compromise, or merely another opportunity for Russia to buy time while continuing its military campaign. Well, here's a hint, it might be the latter. For now, the Kremlin has agreed to send its negotiators to Abu Dhabi, but it has made no commitment to stop its near-daily attacks on Ukraine. Okay, coming up in the back of the brief, Hungary prepares to reveal the identities of tens of thousands of people who secretly informed on their fellow citizens during their communist rule. More on that, when we come back. Well, it's that time of year. Here comes the holidays. And as you know, holiday shopping can be a complete nightmare when you're bouncing around from store to store trying to find something for everyone on your list, you know how that goes. Well, that's why I highly recommend that you check out Fabletics, right? 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Visit TakeLean.com and enter PDB for your discount. That's promo code PDB at TakeLean.com. In today's back of the brief, the Nation of Hungary is about to expose tens of thousands of people who secretly informed on their fellow citizens during Hungary's communist rule. The country's new government is opening its secret police archives, potentially revealing betrayals that have remained hidden for decades. And for some Hungarians, the disclosures could mean discovering that a trusted friend or neighbor or even family member was secretly working for the communist authorities. Beginning today, the government plans to release a searchable database containing between 50 and 60,000 names. Connected to Hungary's communist era, Security Services, the records span decades of surveillance under the Soviet-backed regime that ruled the country until 1989. During that period, Hungary's secret police operated an extensive network of informants who monitored virtually every corner of society. Political dissidents, religious leaders, artists, musicians, and ordinary citizens all came under scrutiny. Some informants cooperated willingly, receiving privileges or professional opportunities in exchange for information. Others were blackmailed, threatened, or pressured into reporting on people they knew. The decision to release the files comes from Prime Minister Peter Magyar's government. Magyar defeated longtime leader Viktor Orbán earlier this year, and the timing carries particular historical significance. November 4th marks exactly 70 years since Soviet troops invaded Hungary in 1956, crushing an anti-communist uprising, and ushering in another period of political repression. There's also an interesting political twist. On Tuesday, Orbán revealed that communist secret police attempted to recruit him as an informant during his military service in 1982. He says he refused, and that authorities subsequently placed him and other opposition activists under surveillance. But perhaps the most unsettling revelations will involve ordinary families. The Guardian describes the experience of journalist Alexander Faludi, whose grandfather was imprisoned by Hungary's communist regime. While examining the archives, Faludi discovered that a woman who had befriended his grandmother in London had secretly reported on his family. But further investigation suggested the woman may have been pressured into cooperating because her elderly parents remained in Hungary. Historians warned that the surviving records are incomplete, and appearing in the files doesn't necessarily mean that someone willingly collaborated. Some individuals may have been coerced while others were just approached for recruitment. Nevertheless, the disclosures could reopen painful questions about loyalty, betrayal, and the compromises that people made under communist rule. One survivor of Hungary's forced labor camps told the Guardian, quote, "People would learn that there were traders in every family." Seventy years after Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest, Hungary is preparing to uncover secrets that some families may have preferred to leave buried. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Wednesday 4th of November. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And if you're Jones and Fern ad free PDB experience, well, we can make that happen. Just become a premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.