Trump avoids explicit endorsement of Netanyahu ahead of Israeli election, reaffirms support for Israel
Washington — U.S. President Donald Trump has declined to explicitly endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s 27 October elections, while reaffirming continued American support for Israel’s defence.In an interview with Time magazine, Trump said he is no longer involved in political endorsements, except to note his own popularity. Asked whether Netanyahu should…
Washington — U.S. President Donald Trump has declined to explicitly endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s 27 October elections, while reaffirming continued American support for Israel’s defence.
In an interview with Time magazine, Trump said he is no longer involved in political endorsements, except to note his own popularity. Asked whether Netanyahu should be given another term, Trump shifted focus, saying: “My main focus is that I want to help them defend Israel.”
Trump claimed his popularity in Israel is “almost 99%” due to past policies. On opposition candidate and former military chief Gadi Eizenkot, he said he had “not heard bad things” about him, but warned against underestimating Netanyahu. “People have written off Bibi politically many times, just like they wrote me off many times. I’m not going to write off Bibi,” Trump said.
Reports indicate tensions have grown in recent months between Trump and Netanyahu amid the ongoing Iran–Israel confrontation and Israeli military operations in Lebanon and Gaza, despite their close ties during Trump’s first term, which saw the U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem and the brokering of the Abraham Accords.
