President Donald Trump credited his endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with helping drive a comeback in Israel’s election Wednesday as the latest partial returns showed the premier’s right-wing bloc closing in on a parliamentary majority.
The president’s remarks followed a dramatic reversal from initial exit polls that suggested Netanyahu’s opponents held the advantage. With approximately 42 percent of ballot boxes counted Wednesday morning, his bloc was projected to secure 57 seats in the 120-member Knesset — just four short of a majority — compared with 47 for the Jewish-led opposition and 16 for the Arab parties.
“When the endorsement came out, it helped him a lot,” Trump told reporters early Wednesday after returning from campaign rallies in Texas.
Trump said Netanyahu had performed considerably better than expected, describing the election as potentially ending in a tie or even a victory for the prime minister.
“It’s still a little early,” he cautioned. “But I hear in Israel, I mean, top people are saying, ‘Wow, he did much better.’ Something like a tie, maybe even a win. We’ll see what happens.”
Trump also shared a Truth Social post crediting his endorsement with transforming Netanyahu’s electoral prospects.
“When President Trump endorsed Bibi Netanyahu, the whole tide turned, and now, rather than a decisive defeat for a Great Prime Minister, it looks like a big come-from-behind stalemate, or even a WIN for Netanyahu,” read the statement, credited to Irving C. Schwartz.
“It all took place AFTER the Endorsement by President Trump, who only wants what is good for the Middle East, Israel, and the United States of America!”
Initial exit polls had projected Netanyahu’s bloc at roughly 50 seats, with the Jewish-led opposition holding 52 or 53. The partial official count instead gave the prime minister’s bloc a projected ten-seat advantage over those rivals, although the final distribution remained subject to additional counting.
Likud was projected to emerge as the largest party with 28 seats, ahead of former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party at 21. More than 650,000 special ballots, including military votes, were still awaiting separate processing, with the final allocation of Knesset seats yet to be determined.
Trump’s two endorsements had placed Iran at the center of his support for Netanyahu, portraying the prime minister’s reelection as critical to completing the military objectives the two leaders had pursued together.
An aerial view shows a campaign billboard depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud party and U.S. President Donald Trump in Tel Aviv on October 26, 2026, on the eve of the Israel’s legislative elections. (JACK GUEZ / AFP via Getty Images)
In his initial endorsement, issued the Sunday before the election, Trump warned that replacing Netanyahu could leave the United States bearing greater responsibility for confronting Tehran.
“If Israel has the wrong Leader, which would be anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so,” he declared.
Trump renewed his endorsement shortly before Israelis went to the polls, praising Netanyahu as an “outstanding Warrior Prime Minister” and urging voters to complete the mission the two leaders had begun.
“Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister, we have to finish the job that we started!” he wrote.
Netanyahu carried that theme into his post-election address early Wednesday, telling supporters that Israel and the United States now had a historic, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to eliminate the Iranian threat.
“Iran is weaker than ever, Israel is stronger than ever,” Netanyahu said, portraying the moment as an opportunity to finish the confrontation alongside Trump.
The two leaders’ renewed emphasis on confronting Iran comes amid fresh indications that Washington is considering another major military operation against Tehran after the U.S. midterm elections.
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that American officials had warned several Gulf Arab governments to prepare for a potentially short, intense military campaign after the midterms, as U.S. forces reinforced regional defenses, replenished munitions and repositioned personnel.
Trump has not made a final decision but is leaning toward a substantial new attack that could target Iranian infrastructure and nuclear facilities, according to people familiar with his thinking.
Asked by reporters early Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews whether he was planning additional strikes against Tehran after the midterm elections, Trump declined to reveal his intentions.
“I can’t tell you that,” he replied. “Anything is possible.”
The president also suggested Iran was prolonging negotiations in hopes of gaining an advantage from the upcoming U.S. elections.
“They’ve wanted to make a deal, but they like tapping it along,” Trump said. “Maybe they’re waiting for the election or something. That’s not going to help them.”
Trump had previously raised the prospect of renewed strikes, telling supporters last week, “We may do another little Epic Fury,” before adding, “Or they’ll agree.”
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The developments place Netanyahu’s strengthening electoral position alongside Trump’s deliberations over renewed military action against Iran — the very confrontation both leaders have pledged to bring to a decisive conclusion.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
