16.08.2026 17:40
US President Donald Trump has not yet given the support that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected ahead of the upcoming elections. Trump's repeated avoidance of making a clear statement of support in response to questions about Netanyahu's re-election bid has been noted as a striking development in the Washington-Tel Aviv relationship.
A notable rift is emerging in the relationship between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As Israel's elections on October 27 approach, Trump has so far refrained from openly backing Netanyahu's re-election bid. According to Axios, Trump is uneasy with Netanyahu's political performance, particularly his policies on Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon.
NO ELECTION SUPPORT FROM TRUMP FOR NETANYAHU
While it was previously noted that Trump was open to the possibility of supporting Netanyahu, it is now being said that political disagreements between the two leaders have increased recently. In the past few weeks, Trump has four times failed to give a clear "yes" answer to journalists' questions about whether he supports Netanyahu.
According to two senior US officials who spoke to Axios, although Trump personally likes Netanyahu, he is disturbed by some of the Israeli Prime Minister's decisions and policies. It was reported that Trump used the phrase "Bibi is his own worst enemy" in private discussions about Netanyahu.
WATCHING NETANYAHU'S ELECTION PERFORMANCE
Ahead of the elections planned for October 27 in Israel, Netanyahu's political standing is also cited among the reasons for Trump's lack of open support.
In polls cited by Axios, Netanyahu's current coalition is said to remain between 49 and 53 seats, while 61 seats are needed to form a government. The opposition bloc is projected to win between 67 and 70 seats.
Axios also reported that during one of their recent conversations, Trump asked Netanyahu about his standing in the election polls, and after a brief silence, one of Netanyahu's advisors responded, "He's winning."
GAZA PLAN PUTS THE TWO LEADERS AT ODDS
The latest example of the disagreement between Washington and Tel Aviv is Gaza. Netanyahu publicly rejected Trump's plan, which includes advancing a ceasefire in Gaza, disarming Hamas, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.
According to the Associated Press, Netanyahu stated that the Israeli army would not withdraw from areas it controls in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed. This stance is seen as conflicting with Trump's peace initiative in the region and increasing tension between the two leaders.
In contrast, Axios reported that Netanyahu later told Trump's special envoy Jared Kushner in a meeting that he would give the plan a chance and promised to reduce attacks in Gaza. Kushner is expected to visit Israel next week to discuss the Gaza plan with Netanyahu and other officials.
TRUMP'S SUPPORT CRITICAL FOR NETANYAHU
Trump's failure to yet openly support Netanyahu is considered a significant development in Israel's election process. It is also reported that Netanyahu's political rivals Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, and Yair Lapid are concerned about Trump possibly supporting Netanyahu at the last moment and have sent messages to Trump's circle urging them to remain neutral.
However, the current picture does not mean Trump has definitively turned his back on Netanyahu. Axios emphasizes that Trump could change his decision and that there are still about 75 days until the elections. Therefore, the tension on the Washington-Tel Aviv line is expected to become more pronounced as the election campaign progresses.