Israel Elections: Trump Endorses Netanyahu for Re-election
Quick Answer: On October 18, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump issued his “Complete and Total Endorsement” of Benjamin Netanyahu’s re-election bid in Israel’s October 27 parliamentary elections. In a Truth Social post, Trump praised Netanyahu as “Strong, Brave, and Brilliant” and warned that U.S. policy on Iran could change if Israelis pick a different leader.
Key Takeaways
- Donald Trump endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu’s re-election in the Israeli elections on October 27, ending weeks of uncertainty over whether he would do so.
- Trump warned that if Israelis elect “the wrong Leader,” the United States might have to “finish the job” against Iran itself.
- Netanyahu thanked Trump, saying that together they will “finish the job” — framing the vote as a contest over Israel’s survival.
- Israel’s next election is the first national vote since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
- Polling for Israel’s next election shows Netanyahu’s Likud trailing Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition Yashar party, making Trump’s endorsement potentially decisive.
U.S. President Donald Trump formally endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s re-election bid on Sunday, delivering the full-throated backing the Israeli leader had long sought ahead of the Israeli elections on October 27, 2026.
“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 his Truth Social platform, according to reporting by Reuters. “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.”
Trump ties endorsement to Iran policy
Trump linked his endorsement directly to Washington’s unfinished confrontation with Iran. He wrote that it had been only a matter of time before Iran attacked both the U.S. and Israel, but that Iran had been “systematically destroyed, both Militarily and Financially,” and that “unless they change their ways, rapidly, we will soon finish the job,” Al Jazeera reported.
“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 added — a message widely read as a warning to Israeli voters about the consequences of rejecting Netanyahu.
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a joint press conference in the Oval Office on September 29, 2025. Photo: The White House (public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).
Netanyahu: “Together we shall finish the job”
Netanyahu responded quickly, thanking Trump on X for “his tremendous support and cooperation” and writing: “Together we shall finish the job.”
In a video released after the endorsement, Netanyahu urged Israelis to vote for him, saying the election is about “ensuring Israel’s survival” and that only he and Trump can destroy Iran’s nuclear program. “We crushed the Iranian axis, and we pushed back the immediate threat of nuclear bombs, but there is still a mission to complete,” he said, adding that Trump had said he would complete that mission “together with yours truly.”
Endorsement came after weeks of hesitation
Trump’s endorsement had been uncertain until the last moment. Earlier this month he told Time magazine he was not involved in Israeli politics, and on Thursday he told Newsmax that Netanyahu wanted him involved — while still declining to endorse. When asked whether he trusted Netanyahu, he replied bluntly: “I don’t trust anybody in the world of politics,” CNN reported.
Trump has featured in Netanyahu’s campaigns since 2013, when — still a businessman and television personality — he released a video urging Israelis to “vote for Benjamin.” In past election cycles, Israeli highways were plastered with billboards of Netanyahu standing beside Trump under the slogan “A different league.” This time, Trump has been absent from the billboards, though he appears in Likud videos.
The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem. Voters choose its 120 members on October 27, 2026. Photo: Clema12, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
What is at stake in the Israeli elections
Israel will hold a national election on October 27 — its first since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, which shook the country and plunged the region into turmoil, with Israel fighting wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, according to Reuters.
The vote could decide whether Netanyahu remains in power after one of the most consequential periods in Israeli history, or is defeated by centrist rivals led by Gadi Eisenkot, the former IDF chief of staff who heads the opposition Yashar party, Al Jazeera reported. Four major Israeli polls have shown Netanyahu’s Likud running behind Eisenkot’s party, the New York Post reported — and Netanyahu’s approval rating in Israel has been weighed down by the wars, the October 7 security failures, and his ongoing corruption trial.
The election takes place under the shadow of continuing scrutiny of Netanyahu’s leadership — from the security failures of October 7, 2023, to the wars that followed and international legal pressure.
Related coverage: Lebanon and Israel halt attacks in Tampa talks and Settlers attack European diplomats in Taybeh, West Bank.
FAQs
When is Israel’s next election?
Israel’s next election is scheduled for October 27, 2026. Voters will choose the 120 members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. It is the first Israeli election since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
Why did Trump endorse Netanyahu?
In his Truth Social post, Trump praised Netanyahu as “Strong, Brave, and Brilliant” and described him as the partner the United States wants in Israel. He tied the endorsement to Iran policy, warning that if Israelis elect someone other than Netanyahu, America might have to “finish the job” against Iran itself.
What did Netanyahu say about Trump’s endorsement?
Netanyahu thanked Trump on X for “his tremendous support and cooperation,” adding: “Together we shall finish the job.” In a follow-up video, he said the election is about “ensuring Israel’s survival” and claimed only he and Trump can destroy Iran’s nuclear program.
How often does Israel have elections for prime minister?
Israel does not elect its prime minister directly. Voters elect the 120-member Knesset, and the leader of the coalition with a majority becomes prime minister. By law, Israeli elections must be held at least every four years, but governments often collapse earlier — which is why Israel held repeated elections between 2019 and 2022 before Netanyahu returned to power.
Is Netanyahu leading in the polls?
No. Polling for Israel’s next election shows Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party trailing Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition Yashar party in four major Israeli polls, according to the New York Post. Netanyahu’s approval rating in Israel has been affected by the wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, the October 7 security failures, and his ongoing corruption trial.
Did Trump previously refuse to endorse Netanyahu?
Yes. Until Sunday, Trump had held off. Earlier in October he told Time magazine he was “not involved” in Israeli politics, and on Thursday he told Newsmax that Netanyahu wanted his involvement but avoided an endorsement. When asked if he trusted Netanyahu, Trump said he doesn’t “trust anybody in the world of politics.”
Sources: Reuters, CNN, Al Jazeera, Haaretz, New York Post. Reporting last verified on October 18, 2026. Developing story — details may be updated as the election approaches.
