Trump urges Israelis to vote for Netanyahu ahead of election

US President Donald Trump has urged Israelis to vote for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the October 27 election, renewing his endorsement of the Israeli leader and saying they must “finish the job” they started.

In a post on Truth Social on Monday, October 26, Trump referred to an endorsement he had issued a week earlier, on Sunday, October 18, and highlighted his close relationship with Netanyahu and their cooperation in military operations against Iran and Venezuela.

“As everyone is aware, including the enemy, Bibi and I have had a great relationship in winning together,” Trump wrote.

Trump referred to Operation Midnight Hammer, the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, and Operation Epic Fury, the US military campaign against Iran in 2026. He claimed the operations had prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and severely weakened its military capabilities.

He asserted that Iran had lost its navy and air force and that its military and economy were “in shambles”. Trump also claimed that Iran’s inflation had reached 301 per cent and that a naval blockade had prevented the country from obtaining oil.

The US president further said that two levels of Iran’s leadership, both military and otherwise, were gone, without specifying the individuals or positions he was referring to.

Trump described Netanyahu as an “outstanding Warrior Prime Minister” and urged Israelis to back him in the election. He also referred to Iran’s descriptions of the United States and Israel as the “Big Satan” and “Little Satan”, respectively, saying the slogans “Death to America, Death to Israel” should no longer be heard around the world.

“Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister, we have to finish the job that we started!” Trump wrote.

According to two sources cited by Axios, Netanyahu had sought greater public backing from Trump ahead of the election. However, Neta Molcho, a spokesperson for Netanyahu’s Likud party, denied that the prime minister had requested an endorsement, saying no such appeal was made either shortly before the statement or earlier.

Israel is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on Tuesday, October 27, to elect members of the Knesset. Netanyahu faces a challenge to his continued leadership amid public dissatisfaction with his government.

The vote will be Israel’s first national election since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack and the subsequent wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

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