U.S. President Donald Trump issued a direct endorsement on Sunday, October 25, 2026, urging Israeli citizens to re-elect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their upcoming general election, highlighting the joint U.S.-Israel military confrontation against Iran as evidence that the two nations are “winning together”.
Speaking via a video message and a high-profile telephone call broadcast directly from Netanyahu’s campaign stop at the Ben Yehuda Market in Jerusalem, President Trump called on voters to rally behind the veteran leader. Trump declared that the alliance had pushed back Iranian threats and insisted that the U.S. and Israel “have to finish the job” against Tehran.
”Israel has never had a greater friend in the White House, and Benjamin Netanyahu has been a warrior prime minister,” Trump said during the broadcast. “Together, through our joint military operations against the Iranian regime, we’ve shown what happens when our two nations stand shoulder-to-shoulder. We are winning together, and we need to keep winning.”
The endorsement comes at a critical moment, just 48 hours before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election for the 120 seats of the Knesset. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, faces a tight race against political rivals including former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
Netanyahu enthusiastically received the endorsement, thanking Trump via his official channels and reinforcing his campaign message that only his leadership can manage Israel’s high-stakes alliance with Washington.
”Thank you, President Trump, for your unwavering friendship and joint leadership,” Netanyahu said in Jerusalem. “Together we will complete the victory and ensure the security of Israel for generations to come.”
Earlier on Sunday, Netanyahu warned Tehran against attempting any security disruptions ahead of the vote, stating that Israeli intelligence had detected potential threats by Iran and its proxies. “Don’t test us,” Netanyahu said during his press appearance in Jerusalem.
The joint statement drew sharp condemnation from political opponents in Israel. Opposition figures, including campaign leaders representing Gadi Eisenkot’s coalition, accused Netanyahu of using fear tactics and foreign political intervention to sway voters ahead of polling day.
”This is Netanyahu’s standard playbook, manipulating perceptions and relying on foreign political theater to divert voters’ attention,” opposition spokesperson political analysts noted following the endorsement broadcast.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the threats from Washington and Jerusalem on Sunday, cautioning that continued U.S.-Israeli strikes would not force Tehran to alter its strategic stance.
With polls opening Tuesday morning across Israel, Trump’s endorsement places the joint strategy against Iran directly at the center of the ballot box.
