'Done a very good job': As Israel votes, Trump says Netanyahu did not ask for second endorsement

Issuing a clarification on the day when Israel goes to poll, US President Donald Trump said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not ask him to issue a second endorsement and he did it because he thinks "Bibi is good." Trump endorsed Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu twice delivering both public statements via his Truth Social platform. On Oct 18, Trump announced his "Complete and Total Endorsement", describing Netanyahu as a "great warrior prime minister" and a “partner for peace.” Then on Oct 25, he reiterated his endorsement and asked Israelis to vote for him so that the two leaders can “finish the job” against Iran. The second endorsement came hours after an Axios report revealed that the Israeli premier had been pressing the US president to issue another public expression of support. According to reports, several polls have suggested that PM Netanyahu's current coalition is far off from a majority.

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Asked whether that was the case, Trump told reporters, “No, I never spoke to him about it.” “I think he has done a very good job as prime minister under very trying conditions,” Trump added.

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In his second endorsement, Trump went on to say that Netanyahu is “outstanding warrior.” He said that it is because of Netanyahu and himself that chants of ‘Death to America, death to Israel' are not heard worldwide. “When you go to the Polls please remember that Bibi has been an outstanding warrior prime minister! Israel was called the little satan, with the United States being called the big satan, by some very evil people,” he said, apparently referring to chants from pro-regime rallies in Iran. “There can no longer be the chant heard around the world of ‘Death to America, death to Israel,’ and there won’t be,” Trump continued. Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for prime minister, we have to finish the job that we started!” he added.

Israel Elections

Israel is holding a first parliamentary election today – the first nationwide vote since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 and subsequent Gaza war. Voting centers opened at 7:00 AM and will officially close at 10:00 PM local time. A clearer picture will emerge overnight, with the final official vote count expected by October 30 and formally certified results published by November 4. Voters cast their ballots for a national party list rather than individual candidates to fill the 120 seats in Israel's parliament. A party must secure at least 3.25% of the total national vote to enter parliament, which translates to a minimum of 4 seats. In Israel's history, no single party has ever won an outright 61-seat majority.