U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with Kan News on Thursday that it is "very likely" he will support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the next Israeli election, but stopped short of a firm endorsement. He said, "I need to see who is running," leaving his options open as Israel’s candidate lists and blocs take shape.
Trump also sent Netanyahu a pointed message, saying, "I have a good relationship with Bibi, but he needs to be more rational." He added, "I am ready to meet him," signaling that the relationship remains intact even as the U.S. president keeps some distance.
The remarks come after Likud decided earlier this week to shelve, at least for now, a planned campaign built around Netanyahu’s close personal ties with Trump. According to a report on i24NEWS, the party concluded that highlighting Trump was not helping its standing in Israeli public opinion, especially amid criticism over the agreement with Iran.
The timing is also sensitive for Netanyahu politically. A new Channel 13 poll published this week showed Likud still leading as the largest party with 22 seats, while Gideon Sa'ar’s Yashar party continued to rise to 20 seats. As the election campaign intensifies, the White House appears to be monitoring developments closely without committing fully before the race becomes clearer.
