‘He did not wilt under such situations’: Trump backs 'warrior' Netanyahu for re-election

Seeking to shore up his longtime ally in a tight electoral race, US President Donald Trump delivered a ringing endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, framing the long-serving leader as an indispensable partner in the ongoing conflict against Iran.

The public backing arrives just days before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary vote — the nation’s first general election since the October 7, 2023 attacks that triggered wider regional warfare across Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

In a social media statement addressed "To the Great People of Israel," Trump praised Netanyahu as a "Great Warrior Prime Minister" who refused to yield under extreme political and military pressures. Trump credited their joint military campaign against Tehran launched earlier this year — a seven-month conflict that has rattled energy markets and destabilized Middle Eastern economies — as essential to dismantling Iranian capabilities.

"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," Trump wrote, warning that Tehran would be "finished" unless it swiftly shifts course.

"Normal men or women in such situations would have wilted under the pressure — But Bibi did not wilt, he actually got stronger, and maintains that same Strength today. This is the kind of Partner that the United States of America is demanding of Israel, a Country for which it has done so much," the US President wrote.

He closed his message with a "Complete and Total Endorsement," declaring that Netanyahu would "never let you down."

In a brief phone interview with Axios journalist and CNN analyst Barak Ravid, Trump indicated the timing was intentional: "I was always going to do that. I just didn’t want to do it too soon."

Netanyahu immediately integrated the endorsement into his campaign messaging. Releasing a video through his Likud party and posting to X, the Prime Minister argued that maintaining his alliance with Washington is vital to neutralizing Tehran's nuclear program. Framing the ballot in stark terms, Netanyahu urged supporters: "It's either Right — or Palestine. Either Right — or a nuclear [Iran]. Go out and vote, guys!"

Trump's political ties to Netanyahu span back to 2013, when the then-businessman released a promotional video encouraging Israelis to "vote for Benjamin." After taking office in 2017, Trump provided the Israeli leader with significant political backing.

However, analysts note that the endorsement is not guaranteed to tip the scales in the upcoming October 27 national vote. Israeli public support for Trump has softened amid recent policy friction between Washington and Jerusalem over Iran. Furthermore, current polling indicates no clear majority for any single candidate, leaving the outcome to post-election coalition negotiations in the Knesset rather than a direct popular vote.

The vote marks Israel's first national election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, which sparked multi-front conflicts across Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. The outcome will decide whether Netanyahu continues his historic tenure or is ousted by centrist challengers promising political change.