Trump Endorses Netanyahu Ahead of Israeli Election, Warns US May Act Alone on Iran
US President Donald Trump has publicly backed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party in the October 27 Knesset elections, warning that without Netanyahu, America would have to «finish the job» against Iran alone. Netanyahu thanked Trump for the «tremendous support» and vowed to «complete the mission.»
US President Donald Trump has issued a full-throated endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party ahead of Israel's October 27 Knesset elections, warning that if Israel chooses a leader other than Netanyahu, the United States will have to «finish the job» against Iran alone. In a letter posted Sunday morning, Trump called Netanyahu a «great warrior» and a «partner for peace» amid the multi-front conflict with Iran and its nuclear ambitions.
«I have watched Bibi under the most trying of times,» Trump wrote. «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.» He added that Netanyahu is «the kind of Partner that the United States of America is demanding of Israel, a Country for which it has done so much.» The letter, Trump said, represents his «Complete and Total Endorsement» of Netanyahu in the upcoming race.
The US president also made clear that his support is conditional on Netanyahu remaining in 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, concluding with the all-caps declaration: «BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!»
Netanyahu responded swiftly on X, thanking Trump for the «tremendous support and the joint work» and adding: «Together, we will complete the mission.» The exchange underscores the close alignment between the two leaders on Iran policy, even as the war threatens to sour broader US-Israel relations.
The Israeli elections will determine control of the 120-seat Knesset, with voters casting ballots for party lists and seats distributed proportionally among parties that clear the 3.25% threshold. After the vote, Israel's president — currently Isaac Herzog, who is not on the ballot and does not lead a party — will consult with party leaders and assign a Knesset member, usually the one best positioned to form a coalition, to build a government. That candidate must secure the support of at least 61 of the 120 Knesset members.
Current forecasts show Likud winning roughly 18 to 22 seats, while a Netanyahu-aligned right-religious bloc is projected at about 49 to 51 seats — short of a majority. That leaves smaller parties and potential coalition partners with the balance of power, making the outcome of the election uncertain and the formation of a government potentially protracted.
The vote is Israel's first since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and comes amid a raging war with Iran that has reshaped the regional security landscape. Trump's intervention places the US president squarely in the middle of Israel's domestic political contest, framing the election as a choice between a leader he trusts to stand with Washington and one who might leave America to shoulder the burden of confronting Tehran alone.
The endorsement also highlights the stakes for US-Israel relations. Trump has welcomed Netanyahu to the White House during the conflict, and the two leaders have projected unity on Iran despite reports of tensions. By tying his support to Netanyahu's re-election, Trump has effectively made the Israeli vote a referendum on the alliance — and on who will lead the next phase of the confrontation with Iran.
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