Trump declines to endorse Netanyahu for another term in TIME interview

US President Donald Trump has declined to endorse Benjamin Netanyahu for another term as Israel’s prime minister, in a TIME magazine interview published on Thursday and conducted on Monday.

Asked whether Netanyahu should get another term in Israel’s October 27 general election, Trump said: “Well, I can only say that I’m not involved in politics anymore, except that we’re popular—”

Pressed again, he replied: “No, my primary thing—I do want to help them defend Israel.” Trump claimed his popularity among Israelis stands at “like 99%” because of past policies.

Asked about Gadi Eisenkot, the Yashar party chair and Netanyahu’s main rival, Trump said he did not “hear bad things about him” but cautioned: “People have written off Bibi many, many times, just like they’ve written off me many, many times. I wouldn’t underestimate Bibi.”

Trump also defended Netanyahu over reports he received advance warnings ahead of the October 7, 2023 attacks, saying: “I don’t think so. I think if he had known, he would have done something about it.”

The interview lands amid strained ties over the Iran war, now in its seventh month; Trump said he deliberately broadened operations: “Only because I wanted to go further.” Axios reported that during Netanyahu’s Washington trip last month, Trump asked about his election prospects, while polls put Likud neck-and-neck with or behind Eisenkot and the governing bloc at about 50 of the Knesset’s 120 seats.

Sources:

• https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-says-he-should-stay-out-of-israeli-election-but-may-endorse-someone-eventually/
• https://www.trtworld.com/article/6dba24134df5/amp
• https://www.turkiyetoday.com/region/trump-avoids-endorsing-netanyahu-ahead-of-israel-election-3229390
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/coming-to-netanyahus-defense-trump-says-he-cant-imagine-israeli-leader-ignored-warnings-ahead-of-oct-7/