Trump Endorses Netanyahu Ahead of Israel’s October 27 Election
The U.S. president warned that choosing another Israeli leader could leave Washington to confront Iran alone, as polls showed Netanyahu’s Likud behind Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party.
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President Donald Trump endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, warning Israeli voters that replacing the prime minister could leave the U.S. to carry on the campaign against Iran alone.
The intervention came nine days before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election, with Netanyahu’s Likud trailing former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party in recent polls.
In a message on Truth Social addressed to Israelis, Trump gave Netanyahu his “Complete and Total Endorsement” and made the conflict with Iran the central argument for returning him to office.
“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.
Iran at the Center
Trump said Iran’s military and financial capabilities had been systematically dismantled. He threatened further action unless Tehran changed course, saying “we will soon finish the job.”
His message portrayed Netanyahu as the partner Washington required to continue that campaign. Trump also praised the Israeli leader’s ability to withstand domestic opposition.
The U.S. and Israel began coordinated strikes against Iran around February 28. The ensuing conflict has continued for months, disrupting the wider region.
Trump’s endorsement followed weeks in which he had avoided publicly backing a candidate, amid reported disagreements with Netanyahu over regional strategy, particularly Iran.
A Fragmented Election Race
Recent surveys have put Yashar ahead of Likud. A Zman Yisrael/Times of Israel poll placed Eisenkot’s party at roughly 24–26 seats, compared with about 20 for Netanyahu’s.
Polling has also left both Netanyahu’s bloc and the main Zionist opposition short of the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority. Arab parties could hold the balance in several possible outcomes.
The election will be Israel’s first national vote since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, following wars involving Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
Netanyahu thanked Trump on X, citing their joint efforts and pledging to complete the mission together.
Eisenkot expressed respect for the U.S. president but said the decision belonged to Israeli citizens.
Ahmet Koçak
Ahmet Koçak is a news editor at Clash Report based in Istanbul. He previously served as Deputy Managing Editor at Türkiye Today, helping launch the digital news platform in 2023, and spent three years as Senior Editor at Daily Sabah. His work focuses on breaking news, geopolitics, international affairs, and digital journalism.
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