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Sunday, October 18, 2026
Report: Trump says he ‘was always’ going to endorse Netanyahu; some of his aides opposed move
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
US President Donald Trump says he had long intended to endorse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection but deliberately waited until closer to next week’s vote, according to Axios.
“I was always going to do that. I just didn’t want to do it too soon,” Trump tells the publication in a brief phone interview following the endorsement today.
Trump stresses the “good relationship” he has with the premier, and says, “It is important that Israel has a person they can count on.”
Asked if he could work with an alternative Israeli leader, Trump replies: “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. Who wants to take the chance?”
The endorsement came despite the fact that several of Trump’s close advisers had favored Netanyahu’s replacement, believing it would better serve US interests in the Middle East, according to Channel 12’s Barak Ravid, who also writes for Axios.
Sources in Netanyahu’s office tell Channel 12 that they were unaware of Trump’s planned endorsement. The Hebrew network adds that the two leaders spoke several times this month, possibly signaling coordination on the matter.
The Times of Israel Community.