Trump just handed Netanyahu his October surprise. Will it pay off?

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump issued an endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party via a post on Truth Social. In the post, Trump described Netanyahu as a "Great Warrior Prime Minister" and a "Partner for Peace," urging Israelis to vote for him in the upcoming election. ABC News AU noted that this endorsement comes just months after Trump had used expletives to label Netanyahu "crazy" and suggested he did not trust the leader.

Netanyahu’s campaign responded to the endorsement by releasing a 30-second clip of Trump's past praise for the Prime Minister, with Netanyahu writing on social media that a "friend of Israel" wants him to win. While Japan Today described the endorsement as a coveted boost due to Trump's popularity, the Jerusalem Post reported that polls show Netanyahu and his governing coalition are currently lagging behind the opposition bloc in the struggle to retain power ahead of the October 27 election.

Opinions regarding the impact of the endorsement vary among experts and observers. The Jerusalem Post quoted Ilana Shpaizman of Bar-Ilan University, who suggested the endorsement might not change anything because Netanyahu's followers already believe in him and his opponents are aware of his relationship with Trump. The Times of Israel reported that experts suggest the remarks may not sway supporters or opponents but could help shift attention away from other campaign issues.

Additionally, the Jerusalem Post noted that some pundits on Israeli news outlets criticized Trump for interfering in the election. Haaretz described the Sunday post as the start of a campaign for Netanyahu that will peak next Tuesday.

Brief written by urgent.news from Haaretz, The Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post, Japan Today, ABC News AU — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.