Trump Renews Endorsement of Netanyahu Ahead of Israeli Election

Former U.S. President Donald Trump reissued his endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Israelis to vote for the Likud party in the upcoming election, urging voters to "remember that Bibi was an exceptional fighter prime minister." Trump shared his previous endorsement from a week prior on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating that he and Netanyahu "had a great relationship that led to common victories." He highlighted Iran's weakened military and economy, claiming its navy and air force are nonexistent and its inflation rate is 301%, attributing this to naval blockades and eliminated leadership. Trump concluded his message by urging Israelis to "Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister; we must finish the mission we started!"

The renewed endorsement came less than 24 hours before polls opened and reportedly followed requests from Netanyahu, which the White House interpreted as a "sign of desperation." Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main rival according to polls and chairman of the Yesh Atid party, responded to Trump's message, criticizing Netanyahu's "fear-mongering, lies, and threats" campaign. Eisenkot stated that Trump is a "true friend of Israel" and expressed confidence that Trump would cooperate with any leader chosen by the people, urging Israelis to vote according to their conscience for the future of Israel. He further promoted his party, Yesh Atid, as the vehicle for change and the victory of the "state Zionist majority."

President Isaac Herzog commented on the possibility of Trump pressuring him to grant Netanyahu another term, stating that no U.S. president or any other individual can interfere with his judgment, which must be based on facts and the ability to form a coalition. Sources close to Trump's camp suggested that Netanyahu had promised Trump a unity government, while opposition figures believe the endorsement was compensation for delaying an attack on Iran. The article notes that Trump's endorsements have not guaranteed electoral success, citing the cases of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, both of whom received Trump's support but lost their elections.