Netanyahu Touts Trump Endorsement as Israel Votes Amid Iran Threat
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enters Israel’s parliamentary elections facing deeply fractured polls and an aggressive campaign to secure foreign backing, having touted a fresh endorsement from Donald Trump while pointing to his hawkish stance on Iran, Reuters reported.
The political maneuvering unfolds as Israeli voters head to the polls with the future of the long-standing United States-Israel alliance hanging in the balance, according to analysis from the Cleveland Jewish News.
Behind the scenes, Netanyahu spoke with Trump twice in the preceding three days, urging him to double down on a Truth Social post endorsing his candidacy, Axios reported, citing a U.S. source. According to that reporting, Netanyahu proposed specific language and suggested Trump hold calls with Israeli reporters to express further backing. Neta Molcho, a spokesperson for Netanyahu’s Likud party, denied that the prime minister asked Trump to support his campaign in recent days or before his endorsement statement, while the White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Trump Endorses Netanyahu to Counter Iran Threat
Trump issued a statement on Truth Social calling on Israelis to vote for Netanyahu, emphasizing his hawkish stance on Iran and pointing to their history of working together. “As everyone is aware, including the enemy, Bibi and I have had a great relationship in winning together…when you go to the Polls please remember that Bibi has been an outstanding Warrior Prime Minister!” Trump wrote, adding a suggestion that voters must “finish the job that we started” regarding Iran.
The endorsement follows weeks of hesitation from Trump, who also suggested that a Netanyahu defeat could harm bilateral relations. Trump has maintained a turbulent yet close relationship with Netanyahu, having never worked with another Israeli prime minister.
Meanwhile, domestic polling indicates a steep uphill battle for the incumbent leader. Three major Israeli television networks released final pre-election surveys projecting Netanyahu’s coalition falling well short of a parliamentary majority in the 120-member Knesset, capturing roughly 50 seats—a loss of 17 seats from his current coalition, according to Axios. Likud specifically was projected to win just 20 seats, down from 32.
Opposition Blocs Gain Momentum in Recent Polls
Alternative political forces have gained momentum in the final stretch of the campaign. Polls showed former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc securing between 52 and 56 seats, with another 14 to 16 seats projected for Arab Israeli parties. Channel 11 additionally projected four seats for a reservists party operating independently of both major blocs.
A dissenting projection came from pro-Netanyahu Channel 14, which released a poll earlier in the week forecasting 60 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc and 30 for Likud.
Addressing potential fallout from foreign interventions, Israeli President Isaac Herzog told MS NOW that external endorsements would not dictate his post-election decisions. “I don’t think the president of the United States or anybody else can intervene in my discretion — the discretion has to be based on certain facts, and we will see what the facts are,” Herzog said, stressing that he alone will determine which lawmaker has the best opportunity to assemble a governing majority.
Incoming Government Faces Pressure to Roll Back Judicial Overhaul
A Netanyahu victory or caretaker status would allow Trump to claim credit for political rescue, whereas a transition to an opposition government would still leave incoming leaders incentivized to maintain ties with Washington.
Beyond the immediate electoral math, commentators note that any incoming administration will inherit profound systemic friction. Writing in the Cleveland Jewish News, columnist Douglas Bloomfield highlighted that a centrist government would face immediate pressure to roll back Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul efforts, establish an independent October 7 commission of inquiry, and address rising security and diplomatic strains.
“I’ve seen more antisemitism on the right in the last two years than at any point in my lifetime,” Bloomfield wrote, pointing to shifts in international alignment as foreign diplomats explore alternative partnerships amid strains in the U.S.-Israel framework.