On October 18, 2026, nine days before Israel's October 27 national election, Trump posted on Truth Social: “Please let this Letter serve to represent my Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu.” He added, “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.” The AP, via NPR, called it a coveted boost that Trump had withheld for months as the two leaders' Middle East strategies diverged. The Telegraph reported that U.S. officials were blindsided.
NPR noted Trump has endorsed foreign candidates before, including Viktor Orbán in Hungary (see Trump's Ally Viktor Orban Loses the Hungarian Election After 16 Years Despite Trump Pledging 'Full Economic Might' and a Vance Campaign Visit). The post ties U.S. policy toward Israel to the outcome of its vote. Trump had earlier pressed Israel's president to pardon Netanyahu (see Trump Spent Months Pressing Israel's President to Pardon Netanyahu, Then Called Him 'Weak and Pathetic' for Refusing).