January 27, 2025 | Flash Brief
‘Ordered and Paid For’: President Trump Releases 2,000-Pound Bomb Shipment to Israel Held Up by Biden Administration
January 27, 2025 | Flash Brief
‘Ordered and Paid For’: President Trump Releases 2,000-Pound Bomb Shipment to Israel Held Up by Biden Administration
Latest Developments
- Trump Releases Munitions to Israel: President Donald Trump said on January 25 that he had instructed the U.S. military to release a shipment of MK-84 2,000-pound bombs to Israel held up by the Biden administration. The move comes amid a ceasefire in Gaza that has so far seen the release of seven Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, many of whom were convicted of terrorism.
- Munitions Paid for by Israel: Trump said that Israel “ordered and paid for” approximately 1,800 bombs and has waited for their delivery “for a long time” but that they were being held in storage by the previous administration. Outgoing Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog said that he believed that the shipment of the weapons, which “haven’t been released until now by the Biden administration,” is now imminent. Trump said in a January 25 statement that the munitions “are now on their way.”
- Biden Paused Arms Shipment in May: The Biden administration paused a May 2024 shipment of ammunition to Israel over concerns surrounding an imminent IDF operation in the southern Gaza enclave of Rafah. Despite the Biden administration’s reservations, the IDF eventually killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Rafah and recovered the bodies of six Israeli hostages executed by Hamas in a Rafah tunnel.
FDD Expert Response
“By holding and slow-rolling some munitions intended for Israel, the Biden administration hurt our best ally in the Middle East and empowered Tehran and its terror network. President Trump is right to resume the full and unfettered flow of weapons to Israel so that it can replenish and expand its stockpiles. Israel responded to the October 7 atrocity by fighting and winning, dealing body blows to adversaries who hate the United States as much as they do Israel. When America has a friend like that, it is smart to provide them with what they need to be successful.” — Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power
“This is a long overdue action by the United States. Israel needs the full spectrum of ground attack weapons to handle its multi-front conflict with Iran. The Biden administration’s decision to withhold these weapons was counterproductive and weakened deterrence efforts with regard to Iran.” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, FDD Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology
FDD Background and Analysis
“How America benefits from its security partnership with Israel,” by Bradley Bowman
“How to Ensure Israel Has the Weapons It Needs,” by Bradley Bowman and Richard Goldberg
“Biden Blocks Arms to Israel While Promising Future Support,” FDD Flash Brief