Trump announced his endorsement on Sunday, October 18, in a social media post in which he praised Netanyahu’s leadership and described him as a key partner in confronting Iran.
Netanyahu has long presented his close relationship with Trump as an advantage in his efforts to remain in power.
However, Trump had refrained from endorsing him for months as their approaches to developments in the Middle East increasingly diverged.
In his message, Trump described Netanyahu as a “Great Warrior Prime Minister” and praised him as a partner in efforts to confront the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Netanyahu welcomed the endorsement, thanking Trump for his support and cooperation in a statement posted in Hebrew on X.
His Likud Party also shared a 35-second video featuring footage of the two leaders together, including clips of Trump praising the Israeli prime minister.
The endorsement comes ahead of Israel’s first national elections since Hamas attacked the country on October 7, 2023.
The vote is expected to be closely contested, although the potential impact of Trump’s backing on the outcome remains uncertain.
Trump also renewed his warning that the United States could resume or intensify action against Iran if its leaders do not change their course.
He said he would be less inclined to pursue the effort if Netanyahu lost the election, arguing that a different Israeli leader could leave Washington to act alone.
Trump has supported Netanyahu in previous elections and has also intervened on his behalf over his ongoing corruption case.
In November 2025, he wrote to Israeli President Isaac Herzog requesting a pardon for Netanyahu.
However, the US president’s recent comments had raised questions about whether he would support Netanyahu’s latest campaign.
Earlier in October, Trump told Time magazine that he was “not involved in politics anymore” when asked about the Israeli leader’s re-election bid.
Relations between the two leaders have also faced tensions over military operations and ceasefire proposals.
Trump criticised Israel’s decision to attack a major Iranian gas field during the war and expressed frustration over fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which he said was complicating peace negotiations with Iran.
In August, Netanyahu rejected Trump’s latest proposal to advance a stalled ceasefire in Gaza, opposing Washington’s call for Israel to withdraw from territory it controls until Hamas had been disarmed.
Despite these disagreements, Trump’s endorsement signals continued support for Netanyahu as the Israeli prime minister seeks another term. Whether it will influence voters remains to be seen.
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