Trump endorses Netanyahu for Israeli reelection

President Donald Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, offering a late-stage boost to the Likud leader’s reelection campaign ahead of the October 27 vote. Trump praised Netanyahu in a social media post as a "Great Warrior Prime Minister" and a "greater Partner for Peace" in combatting Iran, marking a shift from his months of public silence on the endorsement.

The endorsement arrives as the two leaders navigate diverging strategies in the Middle East, including recent disagreements over the Iran war and the stalled Gaza ceasefire. Trump warned that if Israel elects a different leader, the United States might have to finish the job against Iran itself, a task he said he was not inclined to undertake alone.

Netanyahu thanked Trump for his support, stating in a statement that they would "complete the mission" together. The vote is the first national election in Israel since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, and analysts expect a tight race given mixed Israeli public opinion on the recent Iran conflict.

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