Former President Donald Trump renewed his support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday evening, calling on Israeli voters to reelect the longtime leader as a partner in what he described as a mission to “finish the job” against the Iranian regime. The endorsement comes just two days before Israelis head to the polls for a pivotal national election.
In a statement released via social media, Trump urged Israelis to cast their ballots for Netanyahu, whom he characterized as an “outstanding Warrior Prime Minister.” The former president framed the relationship as a winning partnership, crediting their cooperation for significant military and economic pressure applied to Tehran during his administration.
Trump specifically cited a series of military operations conducted against Iran, including Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted the regime’s nuclear facilities, and Operation Epic Fury, a broader military campaign. According to Trump’s assessment, these efforts left Iran with no functioning navy or air force, while causing both its military infrastructure and national economy to deteriorate significantly. He claimed that the U.S.-led naval blockade had severely restricted oil revenue, contributing to an Iranian inflation rate he estimated at 301 percent.
The former president warned that the security situation remains precarious, citing the ongoing slogans of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” from Tehran. Trump suggested that the absence of Netanyahu’s leadership would shift a heavy burden onto the United States. He stated that if anyone other than Netanyahu were leading Israel, America might have to handle the Iranian threat alone, an outcome he noted he was not inclined to favor.
The timing of the endorsement followed reports that Netanyahu had privately appealed to Trump for a public boost. Sources familiar with those conversations suggested the prime minister spoke with the former president twice in the three days leading up to the announcement, even suggesting specific language to reinforce the message of mutual success. However, Netanyahu’s Likud party denied those claims, stating that no such request for campaign support had been made.
Netanyahu has echoed Trump’s rhetoric throughout his campaign, responding to previous endorsements with a pledge that the two leaders would complete their shared mission together. On Sunday, during a televised interview, Trump indicated that the next phase of his policy toward Iran remains a choice between negotiation and further military action, asking, “Do I make a deal with them or do I finish them off?”
Domestically, the Israeli election remains tightly contested. Final polls released before the vote show a deadlock, with neither Netanyahu’s coalition nor the opposition bloc projected to reach the 61-seat majority required to control the 120-seat parliament.
Netanyahu has intensified his own campaign messaging in the final hours, releasing a video that utilized AI-generated imagery of a nuclear explosion over Tel Aviv to warn of a “second Holocaust” if Iran achieves nuclear capabilities. On Sunday, while visiting an Israeli Arrow missile-defense battery, the prime minister also warned that intelligence suggests Iran and its proxies may attempt to disrupt Tuesday’s election with localized attacks. He cautioned Tehran against testing Israel’s resolve, promising a devastating response to any provocation.
