President Donald Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party ahead of Israel’s scheduled Oct. 27 Knesset election, arguing that Netanyahu should remain in office as the United States and Israel confront Iran. Trump made the endorsement in a letter posted Sunday, according to the supplied report.
Trump described Netanyahu as a strong leader who had faced difficult circumstances without weakening. He called the Israeli leader a U.S. partner and urged Israeli voters to re-elect him. Trump also warned that if Israel chose someone other than Netanyahu, the United States might have to handle the effort against Iran on its own. He said he was not inclined to do that.
Netanyahu responded on X by thanking Trump for his support and their joint work. He wrote that the two countries would complete the mission together. The exchange comes amid tensions surrounding the conflict with Iran and the question of how the United States and Israel will address Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, as characterized in the source material.
Israel’s election determines the makeup of its 120-member Knesset, rather than directly selecting the prime minister. Voters choose party lists, and seats are allocated proportionally among parties that receive at least 3.25% of the vote. After the election, President Isaac Herzog consults party leaders and assigns a member of the Knesset—typically someone considered capable of assembling a government—to try to form a coalition. That candidate needs backing from at least 61 lawmakers.
The source reports that Herzog is not a candidate and does not lead a party or bloc. It also cites forecasts putting Likud at approximately 18 to 22 seats and a broader right-religious grouping aligned with Netanyahu at about 49 to 51 seats. Those projections would fall short of the 61-seat majority, leaving smaller parties and possible coalition partners important to forming a government.
The election outcome and coalition negotiations will therefore determine whether Netanyahu can secure another term. Trump’s endorsement is a public show of support, while the forecasts cited in the source suggest his aligned bloc may need additional partners to reach a majority.
