WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Sunday endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s national election later this month, describing the incumbent leader as an essential partner in the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Trump announced what he described as his “Complete and Total Endorsement” on Truth Social, praising Netanyahu’s leadership under pressure and urging Israeli voters to support him in the Oct. 27 ballot for the 120-seat Knesset. While the New York Post reported the statement was made Friday, other outlets, including CBS News and Al Jazeera, reported the endorsement appeared on Sunday morning.
“BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote, calling the Israeli prime minister a “Great Warrior” and an ally in confronting Tehran.
Allies Navigate War and Domestic Politics
The endorsement arrived nine days before Israelis cast ballots in the country’s first parliamentary election since the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud Party has been trailing in polls behind the Yashar Party, led by former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot. Neither faction is currently projected to win the 61 seats needed for an outright majority, according to Israeli polling data cited by the New York Post.
Netanyahu quickly released a video responding to the U.S. president’s backing. “I’m so honoured and humbled by your extraordinary endorsement,” Netanyahu said, according to Al Jazeera, calling Trump the greatest friend Israel has had in the White House. On social media platform X, Netanyahu also wrote: “Together we will complete the mission!”
The public show of unity followed months of tension between the two governments. The United States and Israel launched joint military operations against Iran on Feb. 28, following joint strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in 2025. However, relations grew strained over subsequent military actions. In June, Trump acknowledged using profanity during a phone call to describe Netanyahu amid U.S. frustration over Israeli strikes in Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported.
Earlier this month, Trump declined to endorse Netanyahu during an interview with Time magazine. But speaking to Axios in a phone interview on Sunday, Trump insisted his support had been planned all along, saying, “I was always going to do that. I just didn’t want to do it too soon.”
Electoral Pressures at Home and Abroad
Both leaders face intense political pressure tied to the war. In the United States, roughly two-thirds of voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of the conflict, according to a Pew Research Center survey cited by Al Jazeera. The war has disrupted global energy supplies, elevated fuel costs and raised concerns over military stockpiles as Republicans head into the Nov. 3 midterm elections that will determine control of the U.S. Congress.
Netanyahu explicitly addressed U.S. economic concerns in his recorded video, arguing that eliminating the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran would eventually reduce energy costs for Americans.
In Israel, Netanyahu has dealt with widespread public anger over security lapses surrounding the 2023 attacks, his ongoing trial on corruption charges, and the unresolved outcome of the Iran campaign. In his social media message, Trump warned that if Israel selects another leader, “America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so,” according to Fox News.
Following the Oct. 27 vote, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will consult with party leaders to determine which lawmaker has the best opportunity to assemble a governing coalition of at least 61 Knesset members.
