US President Donald Trump declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for another term in office ahead of upcoming elections, avoiding direct backing of his long-time ally in an interview published on Thursday.
“Well, I can only say that I’m not involved in politics anymore, except that we’re popular—,” Trump told TIME magazine when asked whether the premier should be given another term in Oct. 27 elections.
Pressed again, he responded: “No, my primary thing—I do want to help them defend Israel,” pivoting away from an explicit endorsement in the interview conducted on Monday.
Trump pointed instead to his personal standing among the Israeli public, claiming his popularity reaches “like 99%” due to past policies.
Asked whether Washington could work more effectively with opposition contender and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, Trump said he did not “hear bad things about him,” but cautioned against dismissing Netanyahu.
“People have written off Bibi (Netanyahu) many, many times, just like they’ve written off me many, many times,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t underestimate Bibi.”
Trump’s relationship with Netanyahu is said to have become more strained in recent months due to the war in Iran, and Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon and Gaza.
Trump also cast doubt on reports that Netanyahu received advance intelligence warnings ahead of the Oct. 7 attacks, arguing that Israeli forces would have been placed on alert. “I don’t think so. I think … if he would have known, he would have done something about it,” he said.
Expanded Iran war and maritime control
Addressing the Iran war, now into its seventh month, Trump said he deliberately broadened military operations to dismantle Tehran’s armed and nuclear infrastructure after initial estimates projected a four- to eight-week campaign.
“Only because I wanted to go further,” Trump said, explaining why strikes continued past early targets. “I could have stopped there, and I felt it was just inappropriate.”
Trump acknowledged Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz “worked for a little while” but claimed the US later took control of the strategic waterway through which a fifth of global oil consumption flowed before the war on Feb. 28.
The US president also confirmed rejecting an Iranian truce offer that proposed reopening the strait, dismissing the terms as “not good enough.” Asked whether Washington plans to intensify air strikes following the upcoming US congressional midterm elections, Trump first said it is “possible” before quickly changing course. “I can’t tell you that.”