US President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the country’s closely contested parliamentary election on October 27, giving the veteran leader a significant lift in his bid for another term.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump described Netanyahu, whom he called “Bibi”, as “Strong, Brave, and Brilliant” in the face of heavy opposition, including from within Israel. He said the endorsement was his “Complete and Total Endorsement” of Netanyahu’s re-election bid.
Trump wrote that Netanyahu is the kind of partner the United States is demanding of Israel, a country he said America has done much for. He also warned Israelis against electing “anyone other than Bibi”, saying that if voters chose a rival, “America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so.”
Netanyahu thanked Trump on X, writing: “Thank you, President Trump, for your tremendous support and for our work together. Together we will complete the mission!”
In a video released by his Likud party, Netanyahu highlighted his ties with the US president, saying the two had “crushed Iran”. He said a new mandate would let him work with Trump to “eliminate the Iranian threat over the next two years, or even sooner”.
The endorsement comes less than two weeks before Israel’s first national vote since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023. Opposition politicians accuse Netanyahu of bearing personal responsibility for the attack after allegedly ignoring warnings. The election is widely seen as a referendum on his leadership.
Tight race
Polls show neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the one led by his main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, is on course to win the 61 seats needed to control the 120-seat Knesset and form a government. About seven million Israelis are eligible to vote.
Eisenkot, a former military chief who leads the centre-right Yashar party, regularly accuses Netanyahu of responsibility for the October 7 attack. Speaking at a conference in Tel Aviv, he said he “admires” Trump, but insisted that “Israel is a democratic country, only Israelis can choose their leaders.”
Iran tensions
Trump joined Israel in a US-Israeli attack on Iran in late February, but agreed to a ceasefire in April amid widespread opposition at home to the war, which had sent oil prices soaring.
Relations between the two leaders have at times been strained over Iran. Netanyahu has insisted no diplomatic agreement is possible with Tehran’s leadership, while Trump pushed for a negotiated end to the months-long conflict. Speaking at an event in August, Netanyahu called Trump “one of the greatest friends we have had in the White House.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reacted on X, warning that Netanyahu was “driving America into another war”. “Last time you wanted to ‘finish the job’, Iran emerged even stronger. Want to try your luck again? Be our guest. But be careful; we have unfinished jobs too,” he wrote.
West Bank concerns
The endorsement also follows a warning from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about a brewing “crisis” in the occupied West Bank. This came after an American photojournalist working for The Washington Post was injured in an attack by Israeli settlers.
“We’re very disturbed by those images and what we’re seeing,” Rubio told reporters on Saturday. Netanyahu’s office said it was investigating the incident.
With Israel increasingly isolated internationally, Trump’s backing carries added weight for Netanyahu, who turns 77 on October 21. He is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, with more than 19 years in office on and off. He returned to power in December 2022 with the support of ultra-nationalist parties and moved quickly to curb the powers of the judiciary, which is examining corruption charges against him that could lead to jail time.
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