Did Democratic US presidents give billions in US money to Iran?

checkthis · automated fact-check · How we check · Reel by @maga_mafia_media

The claim that Obama and Biden gave billions in U.S. money to Iran falsely equates legal settlements and unfrozen Iranian assets with U.S. foreign aid. U.S. foreign assistance to Israel consists of government-appropriated aid, whereas no U.S. administration provided taxpayer aid to Iran. FactCheck and Snopes confirm that the $1.7 billion transfer in 2016 was a legal settlement for pre-1979 Iranian funds paid for military goods never delivered, and the $6 billion in 2023 was Iran's own frozen oil revenue released under humanitarian restrictions.

3 claims checked
4 sources
Checked 9 Nov 2026
Main source: U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel: Overview and Developments since October 7, 2023 — Congressional Research Service

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The Reel we checked

@maga_mafia_media

🚨🚨🚨🚨NEWS ALERT: The left continues to criticize President Trump about aid to Israel and claiming that have not given any tax of our tax dollars to Iran, but…

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Framing legal settlements and unfrozen foreign assets as direct US financial aid to Iran.

“The money was not a gift, donation or discretionary giveaway from Obama to Iran. It represented a settlement of a decades-old legal dispute over $400 million Iran had paid the U.S., before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, for military…” Trump claimed Obama sent Iran billions in cash. The truth is more complicated | Snopes, 2026-06-18

What we checked

Under Bill Clinton (1993-2000), the US gave $26.0B to Israel and $0B to Iran.“Foreign Aid Obligations to Israel: 1946-2025”U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel: Overview and Developments since October 7, 2023 — Congressional Research Service

Under George W. Bush (2001-2008), the US gave $23.0B to Israel and $0B to Iran.No reliable source found for this yet.

Under Donald Trump (2017-2020), the US gave $15.2B to Israel and $0B to Iran.No reliable source found for this yet.

What the Reel doesn't tell you

The graphic omits that neither the $1.7 billion under Obama nor the $6.0 billion under Biden were US taxpayer funds or foreign assistance grants; both were Iran's own pre-existing assets.
The Obama administration stated that the $1.7 billion payment was a legal settlement resolving a decades-old Hague tribunal claim over undelivered military goods paid for prior to 1979, as reported by Snopes.
The Biden administration stated that the $6 billion represented Iran's own frozen oil funds in South Korea, transferred to restricted Qatari accounts strictly for humanitarian goods, as reported by PolitiFact.

How it plays you

It wants you to think: “Democratic administrations give money to Iran while Republican administrations do not, and the left ignores these figures when criticizing Trump.”

The argument falsely equates legal settlements and the unfreezing of restricted foreign assets with US taxpayer aid, when neither Obama nor Biden provided US financial aid grants to Iran.

Short version

⚠️ MISLEADING 👉 The claim that Obama and Biden gave billions in U.S. money to Iran falsely equates legal settlements and unfrozen Iranian assets with U.S. foreign aid. 👉 FactCheck and Snopes confirm that the $1.7 billion transfer in 2016 was a legal settlement for pre-1979 Iranian funds paid for military goods never delivered, and the $6 billion in 2023 was Iran's own frozen oil revenue released under humanitarian restrictions. 📰 Sources: Snopes, FactCheck.org 🔎 Full check: send this Reel to @checkthis.chat