Iran tensions loom as Trump endorses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of reelection

Trump backs Netanyahu’s reelection bid

Trump said on social media Sunday that Netanyahu had been a strong prime minister and a partner for peace in confronting Iran. Netanyahu thanked him on X for his support and their joint work.

Netanyahu’s Likud Party shared a 35-second video with clips of the two leaders together and Trump praising the Israeli prime minister. The endorsement’s impact on the expected close race was not immediately clear.

Government faces criticism at home and abroad

Netanyahu’s government is described as the most nationalist and far-right in Israel’s history. It has faced domestic criticism over security failures, as well as international criticism over how Palestinians are treated in the West Bank and Gaza. Some senior members of the government are settlers.

Iran war shapes Israeli reaction

Trump remains popular in Israel, but many Israelis, including prominent commentators, have voiced disappointment with the Iran war’s inconclusive result. They have also criticized Trump’s ceasefire proposal as falling short of key goals held by the countries that launched the war together in February.

Trump said he might soon finish the job against Iran unless it changed its ways rapidly. He added that he might not want to do so if Netanyahu lost the election.

Allies have also disagreed

Trump and Netanyahu have been close allies and appeared especially aligned after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in 2025. However, they disagreed during the nearly eight-month war with Iran this year.