US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the final stretch of the country's election campaign, ending months of public silence on the matter. The endorsement, delivered via social media on Sunday, comes just nine days before Israelis head to the polls on 27 October.
Trump's backing is widely seen as a significant boost given his popularity in Israel, but he had deliberately withheld it as the two leaders' approaches to the Middle East have increasingly diverged. In his post, Trump praised Netanyahu as "a great warrior prime minister and an even greater partner for peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The Israeli leader responded on X, thanking Trump for "the tremendous support and work together," and adding, "Together we will complete the mission!" The Likud party quickly attached a 35-second video to the statement, showcasing the two leaders together and Trump's past praise for Netanyahu.
The endorsement marks a reversal from Trump's recent reticence. In a Time magazine interview published earlier this month, he had said, "I'm not involved in politics anymore," despite his continued campaigning for US politicians. He had also previously written to Israeli President Isaac Herzog asking for a pardon for Netanyahu on corruption charges.
Diverging strategies on Iran and Gaza
Trump and Netanyahu have long been close allies, and their relationship appeared stronger than ever after the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in 2025. However, over the course of the nearly eight-month war with Iran this year, they have clashed over tactics and objectives.
Trump criticised Israel's decision to attack a key Iranian gas field in the early weeks of the conflict. In June, he called Netanyahu "crazy" and expressed frustration that Israel's fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon was delaying peace talks with Iran. On Gaza, Netanyahu rejected Trump's latest ceasefire plan in August, which called for Israel to withdraw from territory it controls before Hamas is disarmed.
In his endorsement, Trump again threatened to "soon finish the job" against Iran "unless they change their ways rapidly," but added a warning: "If Israel has the wrong leader, which would be anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so."
Trump described Netanyahu as "strong, brave, and brilliant in the face of tremendous opposition, including that coming from even Israel itself."
The endorsement is part of a broader pattern in Trump's second term of intervening in foreign elections, endorsing candidates he believes will be favourable to US interests. He has backed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in his unsuccessful bid for a fifth term, as well as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Polish President Karol Nawrocki, and several Latin American leaders.
For Netanyahu, the endorsement is a crucial boost in a race expected to be tight. He has long billed his close relationship with Trump as a key reason Israelis should keep him in power. The absence of an endorsement had been a notable setback for the Likud leader, who has faced criticism at home over the inconclusive outcome of the Iran war and over Trump's ceasefire proposal, which fell short of many of the goals Israel and the US had set when they jointly launched the conflict in February.
Many Israelis, including leading commentators, have expressed disappointment with the war's outcome and with Trump's handling of the peace process. The election on 27 October will be the first national vote since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, and the campaign has been dominated by security and diplomatic issues.
Trump's endorsement may sway some undecided voters, but its impact remains uncertain. The race is expected to be close, and Netanyahu's opponents have sought to portray him as too reliant on a US president whose policies have at times been at odds with Israeli interests.
As the campaign enters its final days, the endorsement has injected a new dynamic into the contest, but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to secure Netanyahu's political survival.
