US President Donald Trump on Sunday endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election, nine days before Israel’s parliamentary elections.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump announced his “Complete and Total Endorsement” of Netanyahu in the upcoming vote.
Describing Netanyahu as a “Great Warrior Prime Minister” and a key US partner in confronting Iran, Trump said the United States might have to handle the task itself if the Israeli leader failed to win re-election.
“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.
Netanyahu thanked Trump for his support in a post on X.
In a phone interview with a US news outlet on Sunday, Trump said he had begun planning the endorsement earlier in the week.
Asked whether he could work with another Israeli leader, Trump replied, “Maybe I will, maybe I won't. Who wants to take the chance?”
Israel is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on October 27, marking the country’s first national vote since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
Trump’s endorsement comes as Netanyahu faces a closely contested election. Opinion polls cited in the original report indicated that his coalition might fall short of the 61 seats required to form a government.