Trump waited for favorable Netanyahu polling before endorsing him, sources say

Donald Trump delayed endorsing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel's elections until internal polling data suggested Netanyahu had a real shot at victory, according to political sources. Netanyahu had not held a press conference with journalists in over a year before returning to that format just nine days before the elections, intensifying his efforts to secure 61 Knesset seats for his bloc.

During a nine-hour briefing, Netanyahu outlined his security and diplomatic vision for the upcoming years, emphasizing that Israel would act independently from American approval when necessary, particularly in the context of Iran's nuclear threat. However, Netanyahu acknowledged tensions with Trump over Turkey, stating that Israel had thwarted a Turkish attempt to expand its military presence in Syria and was preparing for more scenarios, though he preferred to avoid a direct confrontation with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Despite these differences, Netanyahu expressed a desire for a return to the historical relationship between Israel and Turkey, though he acknowledged the likelihood of maintaining some level of cooperation with Erdogan in power. The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu remained strong despite their cooling relations, partly due to Netanyahu's efforts to maintain communication outside the public eye.

The endorsement by Trump, revealed through embargoed social media posts, was reportedly coordinated with Likud officials, who had no doubt that Trump would back Netanyahu ahead of the elections. However, Trump's hesitation to publicly endorse Netanyahu earlier may have been influenced by his experience in Hungary's elections, where he supported Viktor Orban, who ultimately lost.

Internal polling data indicated that Likud and the right-wing bloc were gaining strength, with some surveys even showing the Right leading. This information likely convinced Trump that Netanyahu had a genuine chance of winning the elections, prompting him to end his public silence and endorse Netanyahu at the right moment.