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Trump Endorses Netanyahu for Israeli Re-Election
· Confirmed
In Short: President Donald Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election.
President Donald Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election in a Truth Social post, urging Israeli voters to support Netanyahu as a 'great warrior' and 'partner for peace.' Trump wrote, 'Bibi Netanyahu has been a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran.'
In a Sunday morning post on Truth Social, Trump also addressed his partnership with Netanyahu and its potential role in advancing peace in the Middle East. He praised Netanyahu for his leadership during challenging times, saying, 'I have watched Bibi under the most trying of times,' and emphasized the importance of having the right leader in Israel.
Netanyahu promptly thanked Trump on X, saying, 'Together we will complete the mission!' The endorsement came hours after Netanyahu appeared on the Fox News show 'Life, Liberty & Levin,' hosted by journalist and commentator Mark Levin.
The endorsement was made ahead of the Oct. 27 Knesset elections, where Netanyahu's Likud Party is competing against centrist rivals. Recent polls suggest neither Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition nor the opposition is sure to win the 61 seats needed to form a government in the 120-member Knesset.
Netanyahu, who is seeking a seventh term, has faced multiple political crises, most significantly after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Despite these challenges, Netanyahu has maintained his position as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister.
Netanyahu’s campaign strategy includes building coalitions that reflect public opinion and steering that opinion in his own direction. He has also been vocal about his opposition to critics, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whom he accused of spreading antisemitic lies.
The impact of Trump’s endorsement on the tight race remains unclear. Netanyahu’s Yashar party is currently topping the polls with about 22 percent of the vote, compared to 20 percent for Netanyahu’s Likud party.
Netanyahu’s relationship with Trump has been marked by mutual support and shared goals. Trump has consistently praised Netanyahu’s leadership, calling him a 'great warrior prime minister' and crediting him with joining the United States in launching strikes on Iran in February.
Despite the endorsement, Netanyahu faces significant challenges, including international criticism and domestic opposition. The upcoming election will determine whether Netanyahu remains in power or is defeated by centrist rivals promising a new era.
The endorsement highlights the ongoing political dynamics in Israel and the United States, with Trump’s support potentially influencing the outcome of the election.
What this adds
The endorsement comes amid ongoing tensions and challenges for Netanyahu, including international criticism and domestic opposition.
What's confirmed
- "Please let this Letter serve to represent my Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu in his upcoming Race for Re-election as Prime Minister of Israel."
- “Bibi Netanyahu has been Strong, Brave, and Brilliant in the face of tremendous opposition, including that coming from even Israel, itself,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
- Netanyahu promptly expressed his thanks to Trump on X, saying, “Together we will complete the mission!” Trump has broken with longtime U.S.
- Holiday Gift Guide Donate Marketplace Breadcrumb Home Government White House Trump endorses Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection: 'Great warrior' "Bibi Netanyahu has been a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump writes By Nicholas Ballasy Published: October 18, 2026 11:11am Updated: October 18, 2026 11:14am Article Dig Deeper President Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election on Sunday.
- Trump made the endorsement in a Truth Social post.
- "Thank you, President Trump, for the tremendous support and work together," Netanyahu said in a statement in Hebrew posted on X.
- “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.
What's still developing
- Benjamin Netanyahu had barely reached the United Nations podium when a sea of delegates jumped from their seats and began walking out in protest at the Israeli prime minister’s speech at the UN General Assembly in late September.
- In 1996, Netanyahu became Israel’s youngest prime minister, leading the first in a series of coalitions that also saw him serving a record 12-year tenure from 2009 to 2021.
- Today, we’re featuring a symposium on Netanyahu’s legacy, with contributions from Michael Oren, Haviv Rettig Gur, Sohrab Ahmari, and more.
- He is capitalizing on being the un-Netanyahu—someone with little in-your-face charisma but who underneath projects a depth of power that is undeniable.
- Although the most likely election scenario is a deadlock leading to a second round between Eisenkot and Netanyahu, Eisenkot is widely viewed as having a better chance to build a majority coalition after the election, as a large share of seats will likely go to parties that oppose Netanyahu on similar grounds.
- “To all those that are spreading these lies about my country and about our brave soldiers, whether they sit in this hall or in the office of the antisemitic mayor of New York, I say this: Shame on you. Shame on you for distorting the facts,” Netanyahu told the assembly.
- They tell me, "This isn't the city we remember. It changed so quickly."
- The president, when asked in a Time magazine interview published this month about backing the Israeli leader, said, "I'm not involved in politics anymore," despite his campaigning for and endorsing U.S. politicians.
- At least 1,071 Palestinians, including 233 children, have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since October 7, 2023, according to OCHA, amid what a senior UN official called “virtually no accountability”.
- "Normal men or women in such situations would have wilted under the pressure — But Bibi did not wilt, he actually got stronger, and maintains that same Strength today."