Trump urges Israeli voters to complete the job with Netanyahu
Days before the election, Trump has called on Israelis to keep Netanyahu's record in mind when voting.
By Simon Bennett ·
US President Donald Trump has urged Israeli voters to keep Benjamin Netanyahu's record in mind when casting ballots, as he endorsed the prime minister for the second time just days before Israel's election.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday evening, Trump said the two had been 'winning together,' pointing to recent military operations as examples of their collaboration. He concluded with a direct appeal to voters: 'Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister; we have to finish the job that we started!' This endorsement comes as Netanyahu has stepped up efforts to win additional support from Trump.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Netanyahu and his supporters within Trump's inner circle have been increasing pressure on the American president to issue new statements of support. An Israeli source told the newspaper that the prime minister has been showing signs of political desperation.
Trump's message also carried a warning about the consequences of choosing another candidate. 'If Israel has the wrong leader, meaning anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this job itself, and I'm not inclined to do that,' he wrote. The Jerusalem Post said the remark referred to the confrontation with Iran.
Taken together, the post mixes praise for Netanyahu's leadership, a direct call to vote for him and a statement about the possible consequences of choosing another candidate. It arrives at a moment when Netanyahu has been actively seeking exactly this kind of public backing from Washington as voters prepare to go to the polls.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
