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President Trump Authorizes Release of 2,000-Pound Bombs to Israel, Reversing Biden Hold
Edited by: Fern Sidman
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he has directed the U.S. military to lift a hold previously imposed by Democratic former President Joe Biden on the delivery of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed that the bombs, which had been stored after being paid for by Israel, are now being released. Trump stated, “We released them. We released them today. And they’ll have them. They paid for them and they’ve been waiting for them for a long time.” Reuters reported that the move was widely anticipated as part of Trump’s ongoing support for U.S. ally Israel.
The hold on the delivery of these powerful bombs was implemented by Biden due to concerns over their potential impact on civilian populations in Gaza, particularly in Rafah, during Israel’s military campaign in the Palestinian enclave. A single 2,000-pound bomb, capable of penetrating thick concrete and metal, creates a devastating blast radius. According to the information provided in the Reuters report, the Biden administration had previously supplied thousands of such bombs to Israel following the October 7, 2023, attack by the Iranian-backed Hamas terrorist organization from Gaza but paused one shipment.
Trump’s decision to release the bombs aligns with his vocal criticism of Biden’s policies regarding military aid to Israel. Earlier on Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social, saying, “A lot of things that were ordered and paid for by Israel, but have not been sent by Biden, are now on their way!” The Reuters report noted that Trump justified his decision by emphasizing that Israel had purchased the bombs and had been awaiting delivery for a significant period.
Since the onset of the Israel-Gaza war, Washington has committed billions of dollars in assistance to Israel. Both Biden and Trump have expressed unwavering support for Israel, despite international criticism. According to the information in the Reuters report, anti-Israel protesters in the United States and abroad have demanded an arms embargo on Israel, but such calls have been largely dismissed by the U.S. government, which frames its military support as essential for Israel’s defense against such Iranian proxies as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
The war has had a devastating toll on both sides. The conflict began with the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, in which 1200 people were brutally massacred by Hamas in the largest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust. Hamas also took 251 hostages into captivity in Gaza. This prompted an extensive Israeli military assault on Gaza.
A recent ceasefire in Gaza has temporarily paused the violence, allowing for the exchange of hostages and prisoners between Israel and Hamas. According to Reuters, before his inauguration, Trump warned that Hamas would face severe consequences if hostages were not released, setting the stage for his firm stance on supporting Israel militarily.
As the conflict persists, Trump’s decision to lift the hold on bomb shipments calls attention to his alignment with Israel’s security priorities, while also reigniting debates about the role of the United States in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Reuters highlighted the broader implications of this move, as Washington continues to balance its strategic alliances with growing international criticism over the humanitarian cost of the war.
