President Donald Trump announced his formal endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection campaign on Sunday, marking a shift from his earlier reluctance to back either side in the Israeli election. In posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump characterized Netanyahu as a “great warrior prime minister” and noted Iran had been “systematically destroyed both militarily and financially.” Trump stated that without significant changes in Iranian policy, the United States would complete military action against the country.
The endorsement came as Netanyahu’s Likud-led coalition trails opposition parties in polling ahead of the October 27 election. According to Israeli news outlet Haaretz, the opposition alliance led by the Yashar party is projected to win 52 seats compared to the Likud coalition’s 51 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Earlier this month, Trump had deflected questions about his support for Netanyahu, telling TIME magazine he would not be drawn into the Israeli election while answering Newsmax that he trusted “nobody, honestly.”
Analysts characterized the endorsement as politically significant for Netanyahu’s struggling campaign, though they cautioned against overstating its electoral impact. Sanam Vakil of Chatham House noted the endorsement allows Netanyahu to reinforce his indispensability to Israel’s US relationship, but Israeli voters remain divided over his leadership and regional conflicts. Andreas Krieg of King’s College London suggested Trump’s support might mobilize reluctant Likud voters but cannot resolve structural challenges facing Netanyahu’s coalition-building efforts.
Observers highlighted Trump’s emphasis on Iran throughout the endorsement, with some suggesting the US president may be considering resumed military operations. The current Iran-Israel conflict has created a standstill, with the Strait of Hormuz—through which 20 percent of global crude oil typically flows—experiencing disruptions from mutual attacks on shipping vessels. Oil prices have fluctuated, with Brent crude reaching $110 per barrel earlier this month. Iran has proposed reopening the strait within six days if Washington accepts Tehran’s conditions, including sanctions relief and ending naval blockades, but previous negotiations have stalled. Krieg argued Trump was employing “coercive leverage” through military threat while keeping diplomatic channels available, as the administration believes time favors its negotiating position on Iran’s nuclear program.
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