For decades, the United States has stood as Israel’s staunchest ally, funneling billions in financial and military aid to the Middle Eastern nation while American farmers struggle under shrinking USDA budgets and economic uncertainty. The Trump administration’s recent push for “Government Efficiency” rings hollow when juxtaposed against the staggering costs of U.S. military actions undertaken largely at Israel’s urging. As Washington prioritizes foreign wars over domestic needs, American farmers face cuts to critical USDA programs, leaving rural communities to wonder why their livelihoods are sacrificed for conflicts most Americans oppose.
Unwavering Support for Israel: A Financial Black Hole
Since 1948, the U.S. has provided Israel with over $150 billion in aid (non-inflation-adjusted), making it the largest cumulative recipient of American foreign assistance. In 2025 alone, Israel is set to receive $3.8 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) under a 2019-2028 Memorandum of Understanding, plus $500 million for missile defense systems like Iron Dome. Since October 7, 2023, U.S. spending on Israel’s military operations and related regional activities has ballooned to at least $22.76 billion, a figure described as conservative by the Costs of War Project at Brown University. This includes $17.9 billion in security assistance for Israel’s campaigns in Gaza and against Iran’s proxies, far exceeding annual norms.
The Trump administration’s decision to escalate U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict—culminating in the June 14, 2025, B-2 bomber strikes on Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—underscores this commitment. The operation, which deployed 8 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators and 30 Tomahawk missiles, cost an estimated $290-$340 million in a single day, with some X posts claiming up to $3.8 billion when factoring in broader logistics and support. Even at the lower end, this one-day expenditure could fund significant domestic programs, yet it was executed to support Israel’s goal of neutralizing Iran’s nuclear capabilities—a priority driven by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-standing campaign against Tehran.
“Government Efficiency”: A Hollow Promise
President Trump’s pledge to streamline government spending under the banner of “Government Efficiency” loses credibility when billions are poured into foreign conflicts. The administration’s January 2025 executive order halting most foreign aid spared Israel and Egypt, ensuring uninterrupted weapons shipments, including 2,000-pound bombs approved for Israel despite earlier Biden-era pauses. Meanwhile, domestic programs face scrutiny and cuts, with the USDA’s budget bearing significant reductions that hit farmers hard.
The 2025 USDA budget, slashed by 8% from 2024 levels, reflects a broader trend of austerity for rural America. Key programs supporting farmers have been gutted:
Farm Service Agency (FSA) Loans: Direct operating loan funding dropped by 15%, limiting farmers’ access to capital for seeds, equipment, and labor. Guaranteed loan programs, critical for young and beginning farmers, were capped at $1.5 billion, down from $2 billion in 2023.
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): Enrollment acres were reduced by 20%, cutting payments to farmers for setting aside environmentally sensitive land. Average annual CRP payments per farmer fell from $5,000 to $4,000.
Crop Insurance Subsidies: Premium subsidies for high-yield policies were trimmed by 10%, increasing out-of-pocket costs for farmers facing volatile weather and markets.
Rural Development Grants: Funding for rural broadband and infrastructure, essential for modern farming, was cut by 25%, stalling connectivity in underserved areas.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program): A 5% reduction in SNAP benefits, justified as “efficiency,” hurts farmers indirectly by reducing demand for domestic produce at farmers’ markets and grocery stores.
These cuts, totaling over $10 billion annually, contrast sharply with the $3.8 billion yearly commitment to Israel’s military and the $290-$340 million spent in a single day bombing Iran. The USDA’s entire 2025 budget for farm safety net programs—$15 billion—could be dwarfed by a few weeks of sustained military operations in the Middle East, should the conflict escalate.
Economic Impacts on Americans and Farmers
The economic ripple effects of U.S. military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict threaten American farmers and consumers alike. Iran’s threat to disrupt oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by the BBC, could spike global oil prices, with U.S. crude already climbing to $68 per barrel in June 2025. Higher fuel costs directly inflate farming expenses—diesel for tractors, fertilizers derived from petroleum, and transportation to markets. A 10% fuel price hike could add $5,000-$10,000 to the average farm’s annual costs, squeezing already thin margins.
Retaliatory actions by Iran or its proxies, such as Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, could disrupt global supply chains, including agricultural exports. U.S. farmers, who export 20% of their production, face potential losses if Middle East instability closes key markets or raises shipping costs. The Costs of War Project estimates that post-9/11 Middle East wars have cost the U.S. over $8 trillion since 2001, with $2 trillion tied to conflicts aligned with Israeli interests, per X posts citing Brown University data. These funds, redirected to domestic agriculture, could transform rural economies.
Public sentiment, reflected in social media posts and polls, shows growing frustration. A June 2025 Gallup poll found 62% of Americans oppose U.S. military intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict, with 70% of rural respondents prioritizing domestic issues like agriculture and infrastructure. Farmers, in particular, resent the perception that their tax dollars fund wars for “our greatest ally” while their own communities crumble.
What Could $290 Million Do for Farmers?
The $290-$340 million spent on the June 14 Iran bombing could have bolstered USDA programs critical to farmers:
Restore CRP Enrollment: $290 million could fund 2 million additional CRP acres, paying 50,000 farmers $5,800 each to conserve land and stabilize income.
Expand FSA Loans: It could double direct operating loan funding for 10,000 small farmers, enabling purchases of equipment or livestock.
Subsidize Crop Insurance: The sum could cover premium subsidies for 100,000 farmers, reducing risk from droughts or floods.
Boost Rural Broadband: $290 million could connect 500,000 rural households to high-speed internet, improving access to markets and precision agriculture tools.
Instead, these funds vaporized in a single day’s airstrikes, driven by Israel’s strategic priorities rather than American interests. The contrast is stark: while farmers face loan denials and conservation cutbacks, the Pentagon deploys 30,000-pound bunker-busters to destroy Iranian facilities at Israel’s behest.
A War Americans Don’t Want
The U.S. entry into the Israel-Iran conflict, marked by the June 14 strikes, followed years of Israeli lobbying for military action against Tehran. Netanyahu’s insistence on neutralizing Iran’s nuclear program, amplified by decades of U.S. intelligence-sharing and arms sales, culminated in Trump’s reluctant approval after initial resistance. Despite Trump’s campaign promises to avoid Middle East wars, the U.S. provided bunker-buster bombs, air defense systems, and logistical support, as reported by NBC News. This pivot, against the wishes of Trump’s “America First” base, highlights Israel’s outsized influence on U.S. policy.
Farmers, already battered by trade wars, climate challenges, and USDA cuts, see little benefit in these conflicts. The $22.76 billion spent on Israel’s military operations since October 2023 could have fully funded the USDA’s farm safety net for two years, supporting millions of rural families. Instead, American agriculture is sidelined while the U.S. bankrolls a war that risks global economic instability and offers no tangible return for the heartland.
Time to Prioritize Farmers Over Foreign Wars
As the Trump administration touts “Government Efficiency,” the unchecked flow of billions to Israel’s military exposes a double standard. The $290-$340 million spent bombing Iran in a single day—let alone the $3.8 billion annual aid commitment—could rebuild rural America, from loan programs to conservation initiatives. Farmers deserve a government that invests in their future, not one that sacrifices their livelihoods for wars driven by foreign allies.
It’s time to ask: Why does Israel’s security trump the needs of American farmers? With 62% of Americans opposing Middle East intervention, the administration must redirect its focus to domestic priorities. Let’s bring those billions home to the heartland, where they can grow crops, not conflicts.