Trump endorses embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection

FILE - President Donald Trump listens as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption Alex Brandon/AP WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump on Sunday endorsed embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late in his reelection campaign, a coveted boost because of Trump's popularity but one that the American had withheld for months as the vote neared and the leaders' strategies in the Middle East diverged. Trump said in a post on social media that Netanyahu "has been a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran." Israelis are set to vote Oct. 27, in the first national elections since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The absence of an endorsement was a setback for the Likud politician, who had billed his tight ties to the Republican president as a selling point for staying in power. "Thank you, President Trump, for the tremendous support and work together," Netanyahu said in a statement in Hebrew posted on X. "Together we will complete the mission!" His Likud Party attached to the st...