Trump publicly endorses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in tight election

U.S. President Donald Trump officially backed his ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ahead of Israel’s closely contested parliamentary election on October 27, giving Netanyahu a significant boost in his bid for another term.

In a video released by Netanyahu’s Likud party, the veteran leader highlighted his close ties with Trump, claiming they had “crushed Iran” together and promising that re‑election would enable him to work with the U.S. president to “eliminate the Iranian threat over the next two years, or even sooner.”

The endorsement comes less than two weeks after Israel’s first vote since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack. Opposition figures have criticized Netanyahu for allegedly ignoring warnings, holding him personally responsible for the breach.

Trump and Netanyahu have coordinated closely on Israel’s multi‑front wars following the Hamas assault, including a February strike on Iran. Trump’s public support could be a decisive advantage for Netanyahu, who polls show is locked in a tight race.

“Bibi Netanyahu has been Strong, Brave, and Brilliant in the face of tremendous opposition, including that coming from even Israel, itself,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, using Netanyahu’s common nickname.

“This is the kind of Partner that the United States of America is demanding of Israel… Please let this Letter serve to represent my Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu in his upcoming Race for Re‑Election as Prime Minister of Israel.”

Netanyahu promptly thanked Trump, posting on X: “Thank you, President Trump, for your tremendous support and for our work together. Together we will complete the mission!” He urged voters to heed Trump’s remarks, emphasizing their joint achievements and the unfinished agenda.

Trump joined Netanyahu in a U.S.–Israeli attack on Iran in late February but agreed to a ceasefire in April amid widespread U.S. public opposition to the conflict, which had driven oil prices higher. Netanyahu has consistently praised Trump as “our greatest friend” in the White House, though the two have at times differed on how to handle Iran, with Netanyahu rejecting any diplomatic deal with Tehran while Trump pursued negotiations.

Voter Warning

The endorsement followed a warning from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio about a growing “crisis” in the occupied West Bank, after an American photojournalist for The Washington Post was injured in an assault by Israeli settlers. Rubio expressed alarm at the incident, and Netanyahu’s office said it was investigating the circumstances.

With Israel and Netanyahu increasingly isolated on the world stage, Trump’s backing is viewed as crucial.

Netanyahu, who turns 77 on October 21, is Israel’s longest‑serving prime minister, having held office intermittently for more than 19 years. He returned to power in December 2022, bringing in once‑marginal ultra‑nationalists and moving to curb the judiciary, which is now examining corruption charges that could lead to his imprisonment.

His chief rival is opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the centre‑right Yashar party and a former military chief who regularly accuses Netanyahu of bearing personal responsibility for the October 7 attack. Polling suggests that neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor Eisenkot’s coalition is positioned to secure the 61 seats needed to control the 120‑seat parliament.

Approximately seven million Israelis are eligible to vote in the legislative election. Eisenkot has stressed that only Israeli citizens should decide their leadership, adding that while he “admires” Trump, “Israel is a democratic country, only Israelis can choose their leaders.”

Trump, however, warned against electing “anyone other than Bibi,” stating that if voters chose one of Netanyahu’s rivals, “America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so.”

On Sunday, far‑right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also endorsed Netanyahu, declaring, “There is only one person capable of serving as Prime Minister, and that is Benjamin Netanyahu.”

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