Netanyahu Sought More Trump Endorsements, White House Saw "Desperation"
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asked U.S. President Donald Trump for more public support ahead of the upcoming elections, which the White House interpreted as a "sign of desperation." Netanyahu intensified his requests as polls showed his bloc struggling to gain a majority. While a Likud spokesperson denied the requests, U.S. officials believe Trump's endorsement benefits Washington regardless of the election's outcome.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asked Donald Trump for more public support before the Knesset elections.
- The White House viewed Netanyahu's requests as a "sign of desperation" and an indication he was "behind in the race."
- Netanyahu spoke with Trump twice in three days and suggested specific endorsements and outreach to Israeli journalists.
- A Likud spokesperson denied that Netanyahu had requested recent campaign support from Trump.
- Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu last Sunday, suggesting his defeat could impact U.S.-Israel relations.
- Final polls indicate Netanyahu's bloc is far from securing the necessary Knesset majority.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently asked U.S. President Donald Trump for additional public support ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections, a request the White House reportedly viewed as a "sign of desperation." Axios reported Sunday, citing two informed U.S. and Israeli sources, that Netanyahu intensified his outreach to Trump as the election neared, amid polls suggesting his bloc might struggle to secure a parliamentary majority.
The U.S. source described Netanyahu's push for more support as an indicator that he believes he is "behind in the election race." The report detailed that Netanyahu spoke with Trump twice in the past three days, requesting stronger backing beyond Trump's previous endorsement on "Truth Social." Netanyahu also suggested specific phrasing for additional support statements and proposed that Trump contact Israeli journalists to express further endorsement, according to the report.
However, Neta Molcho, a spokesperson for the Likud party, denied that Netanyahu had asked Trump for campaign support in recent days or before the U.S. President's initial endorsement. Trump publicly backed Netanyahu last Sunday after weeks of hesitation, even suggesting that Netanyahu's defeat could impact U.S.-Israel relations. This follows a previous interview where Trump mentioned individuals in Israel had asked him to intervene in support of Netanyahu.
Axios noted the close political and security relationship between Trump and Netanyahu, highlighting that Trump has never worked with another Israeli prime minister and does not personally know other candidates as well. Netanyahu's request for more U.S. backing comes as final polls released Friday by major Israeli media outlets indicate his bloc is far from the necessary Knesset majority.
U.S. officials believe Trump's endorsement of Netanyahu benefits Washington regardless of the election outcome. If Netanyahu wins, Trump could claim credit and leverage it for future influence. If Netanyahu loses and rivals form a government, the new Israeli leadership would likely still seek good relations with Trump, mitigating the impact of his support for their opponent.
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