Washington: US President Donald Trump has renewed his endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Tuesday’s national elections, urging Israelis to vote for the veteran leader and citing their joint military campaign against Iran as a reason to continue his tenure.
In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump described Netanyahu as an “outstanding Warrior Prime Minister” and praised their partnership in operations against Tehran. He claimed that US military actions had severely weakened Iran’s military capabilities and economy.
“Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister, we have to finish the job that we started,” Trump wrote, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.
Trump cited Operation Midnight Hammer and Operation Epic Fury, claiming Iran had lost its navy and air force. He also said the country’s inflation had reached 301 per cent and that its military and political leadership had suffered major losses.
The endorsement came after reports that Netanyahu had sought additional public support from Trump ahead of the election.
According to Axios, Netanyahu spoke with Trump twice in three days and suggested further statements backing his campaign. However, Likud spokesperson Neta Molcho denied that Netanyahu had requested such support.
Final pre-election polls released by three major Israeli television networks projected around 50 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc in the 120-member Knesset, below the 61 required for a majority.
His opposition bloc was projected to secure 52–56 seats, while two Arab Israeli parties were projected to win 14–16 seats.
Trump’s renewed backing comes amid reported differences between Washington and Tel Aviv over the Iran war and a ceasefire arrangement reached in April.
Despite these tensions, the US president has continued to publicly support Netanyahu’s bid to remain in office.
