Trump endorses Netanyahu ahead of Israeli elections, calling him 'great warrior prime minister'

Donald Trump has endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the Israeli elections later this month, calling him a "great warrior prime minister".

Posting on Truth Social, the US president said Israel's prime minister has been an "even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran".

He added: "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.

"Bibi Netanyahu has been Strong, Brave, and Brilliant in the face of tremendous opposition."

The national election on 27 October will be the first since Hamas' deadly attack against Israel on 7 October 2023 that led to Israel going to war in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

The election could determine whether Mr Netanyahu remains in power after one ⁠of the most consequential periods ​in Israel's history, or is defeated ​by centrist rivals promising to bring in a new era.

Mr Netanyahu has pushed his close ties to the Republican president as a selling point for staying in power.

But a poll published last Thursday suggests opposition frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party has opened up a significant lead over Mr Netanyahu's Likud party.

However, neither camp is projected to win a majority in parliament, the survey by The Times of Israel suggested.

The poll showed 54 seats for the bloc of Jewish-led parties opposing the prime minister, including Yashar, Together, Israel Our Home and the Democrats, compared to 49 for the pro-Netanyahu bloc of Likud, the far-right and the ultra-Orthodox Jews.

It meant both camps would be short of a 61-seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

The survey also showed Yashar winning 26 seats compared to 20 for Likud. A week earlier, the gap was 24 to 20.

In third spot in the poll was former prime minister Naftali Bennett's opposition Together party with 11.

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Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu have traditionally been close allies, particularly after the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in June 2025.

But the pair have had disagreements during this year's war with Iran which was launched in late February.

Mr Trump criticised Israel's decision to attack a key Iranian gas field in the first weeks of the conflict, while he called Mr Netanyahu "crazy" in June.

The US president said he was "a little bit perturbed" as Israel's fight against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon was holding back peace talks with Iran.

In August, Mr Netanyahu rejected Mr Trump's plan to advance a stalled Gaza ceasefire, pushing back on the US administration's call for Israel to withdraw from territory it controls in Gaza until Hamas was disarmed.

(c) Sky News 2026: Trump endorses Netanyahu ahead of Israeli elections, calling him 'great warrior prime minister'