Trump backs Netanyahu before Israel vote, issues Iran warning

US President Donald Trump publicly backed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 18 ahead of Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election, while warning against choosing another leader and issuing a fresh threat to Iran. India Today reported that Trump announced the endorsement on Truth Social and Netanyahu thanked him in a video posted on X.

Trump portrayed Netanyahu as a resilient leader and a key partner in the US military campaign against Iran. His message went beyond praise, suggesting that Washington’s willingness to confront Iran could be affected by the Israeli election result.

Endorsement carries a security warning

Addressing Israeli voters, Trump argued that Netanyahu had withstood intense political opposition and emerged stronger. He explicitly urged support for the prime minister’s return to 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.

The statement tied his preferred electoral outcome to the burden of confronting Iran. It did not, however, specify a change to US military assistance or a formal security commitment.

Trump also asserted that Iran had suffered extensive military and financial weakening. He warned that Washington would “soon finish the job” unless Tehran rapidly changed course. Those assessments and threats were Trump’s statements, not independently established findings.

Netanyahu welcomes backing

Netanyahu thanked Trump in his video response, describing him as Israel’s strongest friend to have occupied the White House. He also pledged that the two leaders would prevent Iran’s government from obtaining nuclear weapons.

In a separate response on X, Netanyahu welcomed the endorsement and said they would complete their shared mission. The exchange placed their partnership over Iran at the centre of Trump’s intervention in the election.

The report described the Iran conflict as entering its seventh month, with fighting disrupting global energy markets and damaging critical infrastructure and regional economies across the Middle East.

Coalition numbers will decide who governs

Trump’s backing does not establish an electoral advantage for Netanyahu or his Likud party. The report described declining Israeli public support for Trump amid differences between the two governments over Iran, and said opinion polls showed no candidate with a clear route to power. It did not identify individual polls or provide their figures.

Despite Trump framing the contest as Netanyahu’s re-election as prime minister, Israelis vote for parliament rather than directly choosing the head of government. The ability to assemble a parliamentary coalition will determine who takes office.

The October 27 election is described as Israel’s first national vote since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023. It follows wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, with Netanyahu facing centrist rivals seeking a change in leadership.

The endorsement also extends Trump’s record of publicly backing candidates in other countries. The report cited previous interventions involving Hungary, Colombia, Argentina, Japan and Honduras.