US President Donald Trump has predicted a sweeping victory for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in next week’s parliamentary election, reaffirming his support for the Israeli leader during a telephone conversation made public on Monday.
The call, shared by Netanyahu in a video posted on X, came a day after Trump formally endorsed the prime minister ahead of Israel’s October 27 election.
During the conversation, Netanyahu thanked Trump for publicly backing his re-election campaign, describing the US president as Israel’s strongest ally.
“You have been a great leader of the free world, of America, and undoubtedly the greatest friend Israel has ever had, by far, and you will remain so in the White House,” Netanyahu said.
Trump responded by emphasising that he had personally written his endorsement of Netanyahu.
“I wrote the endorsement myself. Nobody wrote it for me. I wrote it,” Trump said.
The US president also defended Netanyahu, saying he had been treated unfairly and expressing confidence that he would prevail in the election.
“You’ve been treated unfairly. You’re a fighter, and we’re going to prove that very soon,” Trump said.
“I think you’re going to win. You’re the man I want by my side, Bibi,” he added.
The exchange comes as Netanyahu faces a closely contested election that could determine whether his governing coalition remains in power.
Trump’s endorsement on Sunday followed months of uncertainty over whether the US president would publicly support Netanyahu, amid reported differences between the two leaders over regional military strategy and the war with Iran.
The October 27 vote is Israel’s first parliamentary election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks and the subsequent wars that have reshaped the country’s political and security landscape.
While Trump’s intervention could strengthen Netanyahu’s campaign, opinion polls suggest that neither the governing coalition nor the opposition is assured of securing a parliamentary majority.
