Former President Trump threw his weight behind Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, just days before Israelis head to the polls. In a post on his social media platform, Trump addressed 'the Great People of Israel,' praising Netanyahu as 'a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran.'
Trump's endorsement, delivered less than a week before the election, carried a pointed warning. '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,' he wrote. The former president framed the choice as binary, asserting that Netanyahu has been 'Strong, Brave, and Brilliant' against formidable opposition, including from within Israel itself.
The Republican frontrunner's message echoed his broader foreign policy stance, emphasizing that the U.S. expects its allies to shoulder their share of regional security burdens. He called Netanyahu 'the kind of Partner that the United States of America is demanding of Israel, a Country for which it has done so much.' Trump concluded with an emphatic 'COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT,' declaring that 'BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!'
Netanyahu, who first became prime minister in 1996 and returned to office in 2009, has been a fixture of Israeli politics for decades. He briefly lost power in 2021 but reclaimed the premiership in 2022. His long tenure has been shadowed by legal troubles, including a 2019 indictment on fraud and bribery charges. He requested a pardon from President Isaac Herzog after his trial began, but the request was denied.
More recently, Netanyahu has faced accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which followed the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. That attack killed roughly 1,200 Israelis, while the subsequent Israeli offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 74,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Netanyahu has denied both the corruption charges and the allegations tied to his conduct of the war.
Trump's endorsement is likely to resonate with his base and with Israeli voters who view him as a staunch ally. During his presidency, Trump moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and brokered the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab nations. However, his latest comments come amid ongoing tensions over U.S. policy toward Iran, with some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle criticizing the administration's approach to sanctions and diplomacy.
The former president's intervention in a foreign election is unusual, but not unprecedented. He has previously expressed strong opinions on Israeli politics, often aligning with Netanyahu's right-wing agenda. His warning that the U.S. might not act unilaterally against Iran if Netanyahu loses could be seen as an attempt to influence the outcome, though it remains unclear how much weight it carries with Israeli voters.
Political observers note that Trump's endorsement may have limited impact, as Israeli elections are often decided by domestic issues, including security, the economy, and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Netanyahu's Likud party faces a stiff challenge from opposition groups, and his legal battles have complicated his political future.
As the election approaches, the international community will be watching closely. A Netanyahu victory would likely maintain the status quo in U.S.-Israel relations, while an upset could shift the dynamics in the region. Trump's emphatic backing, however, underscores the deep ties between the two leaders and the former president's willingness to wade into foreign political contests.
