President Donald Trump has endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s re-election bid, nine days before Israel’s October 27 election, saying that any other leader would leave Washington to confront Iran without Israel’s support.
“BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, using the Israeli premier’s nickname.
The endorsement came days after Trump said he had not “even thought about” backing a candidate in the Israeli election, amid reported disagreements with Netanyahu over Washington’s efforts to end the war with Iran.
Addressing what he called the “Great People of Israel,” Trump offered his “complete and total endorsement” of Netanyahu, describing him as a “Great Warrior Prime Minister” and a partner in confronting Iran.
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“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 wrote.
He praised Netanyahu for remaining resilient despite mounting pressure, saying the Israeli leader had become stronger rather than yielding under difficult circumstances. Trump also defended the US-Israeli war against Iran, claiming Tehran had been systematically weakened militarily and financially and threatening to “finish the job” if it did not change course.
The endorsement follows months of uncertainty over the relationship between the two leaders. Trump and Netanyahu have publicly maintained that they work well together, but reports of disagreements over the handling of Iran have raised questions about the strength of their alliance.
Israel and the US launched joint strikes against Iran on 28 February, targeting its military capabilities and nuclear programme. The conflict has disrupted energy markets and contributed to rising fuel prices in the US, putting pressure on Trump and Republicans ahead of next month’s midterm elections.
Netanyahu quickly embraced Trump’s backing. The Israeli prime minister published a compilation of footage showing the US president praising him, captioned: “Thank you, President Trump, for the tremendous support and the joint work. Together we’ll finish the task!”
In a separate Hebrew-language video, Netanyahu said Trump intended to continue efforts to eliminate the Iranian threat over the coming two years, or potentially sooner, but argued that the mission would be completed only if he remained prime minister.
“We decimated Iran, we decimated the Iranian axis, we pushed off the immediate threat of nuclear weapons on us,” Netanyahu said.
He argued that Israel still had work to do against Iran and that his personal partnership with Trump was central to completing it.
“That is the biggest consideration” in the election, Netanyahu said, describing Israel’s long-term security as being at stake.
“President Trump says he will do it, and that he will do it only if the two of us do it together,” he added, urging voters to “listen to him” and vote for Likud.
In an English-language video, Netanyahu thanked Trump for his “extraordinary endorsement” and praised his “clarity, consistency, conviction, and courage.”
He also sought to reinforce Trump’s argument that confronting Iran would eventually benefit American consumers, linking the military campaign to rising fuel prices.
“If you’re worried about today’s gas prices, think of what will happen if Iran gets nuclear weapons – something that Donald Trump and I will never allow,” Netanyahu said.
He added that gas prices would fall when the Iranian regime “disappears,” repeating an argument Trump has made about the economic benefits of defeating Tehran.
“There’s never been a greater friend of Israel in the White House. That’s an understatement,” Netanyahu said of Trump.
The endorsement drew a measured response from opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, whose Yashar party is challenging Likud in the election.
Speaking at an event with students from Tel Aviv University, Eisenkot said he had “great appreciation for the US president,” but stressed that the election was a matter for Israeli voters.
“Israel is a democracy, and its citizens are the only ones who will decide who the prime minister will be,” he said.
Asked later in a Channel 12 interview whether he had tried to prevent Trump from endorsing Netanyahu, Eisenkot said he had requested that Washington stay out of Israel’s internal political contest.
“There were a number of meetings I don’t want to elaborate on. I requested that there be no intervention in Israel’s internal election. But I’ll handle it,” he said.
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, whose opposition B’Yachad party is projected to become one of the largest parties in the next Knesset, also said Israelis would determine their next leader.
“I know I can get along very well with President Trump,” Bennett said. “Ultimately, in international politics, every leader works with the leader who is elected.”
Trump’s endorsement had been uncertain in the run-up to the election, with reports suggesting he was frustrated by Netanyahu’s promises of a swift victory over Iran that had not materialized. Tensions were also reported to have risen when Washington shifted towards negotiations with Tehran, prompting concerns in Israel that a deal could undermine its security.
In June, Trump criticized Netanyahu over Israeli military operations in Lebanon that complicated efforts to reach an agreement with Iran. He later said he would “most likely” endorse Netanyahu’s re-election, but wanted to see who else entered the race.
Despite their differences, both leaders have continued to insist their relationship remains strong, with Trump’s latest intervention placing their partnership at the center of Israel’s election campaign.
