Trump gives Netanyahu 'complete and total endorsement' nine days before Israel's election
Netanyahu's Likud faces a tight race against an opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot in the October 27 vote, as the war with Iran drags on.
At a glance
- Israel holds parliamentary elections on October 27, 2026.
- Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Truth Social on October 18, praising him as an ally in the war on Iran.
- Likud and its far-right allies risk losing to an opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party.
- A Pew poll found about two-thirds of US voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the Iran war.
US President Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel's parliamentary election on October 27.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, October 18, Trump gave Netanyahu his "Complete and Total Endorsement", praising him as "Strong, Brave, and Brilliant" and as a partner in the war on Iran. Trump argued that Iran would eventually have attacked the US and Israel, and suggested that if Israel chose another leader, the US would have to "finish the job" itself — something he said he was not inclined to do.
A tight race
Netanyahu's Likud and its far-right coalition partners risk defeat by an opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party. Netanyahu thanked Trump in a video, calling him a great friend of Israel and linking lower fuel prices to stopping Iran's nuclear threat.
Earlier hesitation
Earlier this month Trump declined to endorse Netanyahu in an interview with Time magazine. He later told Axios he "was always going to do that" but did not want to do it too soon. The two leaders have met more than six times since January 2025, but reports describe disagreements, including over Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
The war in the background
The US and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28. An April ceasefire collapsed, and the conflict continues to disrupt global oil and gas supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. A Pew Research Center poll found about two-thirds of American voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the war, which has pushed up fuel prices ahead of US midterm elections on November 3.
Questions people are asking
When is Israel's election?
Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Who is challenging Netanyahu?
An opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party.
How we verified this story
GlobeHourly wrote this report in its own words after checking the facts against 3 independent sources: official statements, wire agencies and established news outlets. Read our standards.
