Trump Avoids Direct Netanyahu Endorsement Ahead of Critical Israeli Elections

President Donald Trump sidestepped a direct endorsement of Benjamin Netanyahu during a recent interview with Time magazine, even as he continues to lavish praise on the Israeli prime minister and welcomes his visits to the White House. This latest development comes ahead of critical elections in Israel that could reshape regional stability and American policy for years to come.

The publication released its story on Thursday after Trump thrice refused to explicitly state whether Netanyahu should remain in power. Instead, he pivoted his answers toward his own standing among Israelis and a history of actions designed to support the Israeli government. The initial question asked if the Israeli people ought to give Bibi another term. Trump replied that he is no longer involved in politics except where popularity matters, claiming he enjoys ninety-nine percent favorability in Israel.

Pressed again on the issue, Trump highlighted Washington's ongoing security commitments and his decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem during his first administration. When the interviewer noted these efforts seemed like a lot of work for Netanyahu, asking if that meant another term was warranted, Trump steered the conversation elsewhere. He said helping defend Israel is his primary goal and warned that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons because such crazy people should not possess them.

Trump has repeatedly celebrated his relationship with Netanyahu throughout this second term despite leaks from government officials describing private discord between the two leaders. He has met with Bibi at least seven times since January 2025, a frequency unmatched by any other world leader. Trump also publicly pushed for a pardon regarding the Israeli leader's ongoing corruption trial while hosting him most recently in July.

That meeting occurred even as concerns mounted over Israeli obstructions to ending the conflict and achieving lasting peace in Gaza. Speaking to Time, Trump defended the war with Iran he helped launch, suggesting he might still seek to annihilate that nation or resume bombing after the midterm vote later this year. He also dismissed reports that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates warned Netanyahu about the impending Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

"I think if he would have known, he would have done something about it," Trump said regarding those warnings. He later acknowledged that people often write off Bibi just as they did him many times in the past. "I wouldn't underestimate Bibi," he added with characteristic confidence. The interview also covered potential changes in US security support if Gadi Eisenkot, whose opposition bloc leads in Israeli polls, were to win the election on October 27. Trump replied that he does not hear bad things about him.

These statements arrive as Trump and his Republican Party face growing discontent over their administration's policy toward Israel. Many perceive that the Israeli government influenced Trump to launch the war against Iran back in February. That conflict has already driven up petrol prices across the United States, creating a key vulnerability ahead of the midterm elections in November. Those upcoming votes will determine whether Democrats or Republicans control the Senate and House of Representatives for Trump's final two years in office.