Trump Calls Netanyahu a 'Great Warrior' as His Israeli Election Endorsement Draws Criticism Online

Donald Trump has endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election, praising him as a 'Great Warrior Prime Minister' nine days before Israel's 27 October election. The endorsement drew criticism from some users on X.

In a Sunday post on Truth Social, Trump tied Netanyahu's leadership to cooperation against Iran and warned that America would have to do the work itself if Israel chose the 'wrong Leader'.

Replies criticised Trump's praise for Netanyahu and questioned his comments about Iran. Netanyahu responded on X by thanking the president and writing: 'Together we will complete the mission!'

Trump Endorses Netanyahu After Months of Holding Back

Israelis vote on 27 October in a contest where Netanyahu's governing bloc faces a difficult path to a parliamentary majority.

Trump had withheld an endorsement for months as the election approached, despite Netanyahu presenting their close relationship as a reason to keep him in office. Sunday's post gave the Israeli prime minister an explicit statement of support in the campaign's final days.

Israelis do not elect their prime minister directly. The next government must be able to command the confidence of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, so a party leading the polls is not guaranteed to form a government.

Eisenkot's Response and Past Friction

Opposition frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot, whose centrist Yashar party is among the leading contenders, said Israeli voters, not Trump, would choose the next prime minister.

He also said he had sought to prevent outside intervention. 'I requested that there be no intervention in Israel's internal election,' he told Channel 12.

The endorsement follows earlier friction between Trump and Netanyahu. Trump called Netanyahu 'crazy' in June and criticised Israel's decision to attack a key Iranian gas field early in the war.

His latest post instead praised Netanyahu's leadership and their cooperation against Iran.

Social Media Reaction

Reaction on X included criticism of Trump's praise and questions about his warning over Iran.

Criticality (@theyear202425) wrote: 'Praising someone as a "Great Warrior" amid a genocide is truly disgusting.' The reference to genocide was the user's characterisation, not an independently established finding in this article.

Another user, @AttilaAzureRive, described the endorsement as 'The kiss of death...', while Chooyee (@Grrr1392_90) questioned whether the United States could deal with Iran without Israel's involvement.

'The U.S. can deal with Iran directly and Israel can stay out of it? Isn't that what the Israelis want?' Chooyee wrote.

These individual reactions do not establish how Israeli voters will respond to the endorsement.

What Israelis Think of Trump

A July 2026 survey by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) found that 7% of Israelis had a great deal of confidence that Trump would 'do the right thing' on US-Israel relations, down from 34% in March.

Another 41% expressed some confidence, while 45% expressed none. The institute subsequently recorded a great-deal-of-confidence figure of 10% in August.

Its October index nevertheless found that 69% considered the statement that Trump is 'the friendliest president Israel has ever had' either very or fairly true.

The findings measure different things: confidence in Trump's handling of relations and perceptions of his friendship towards Israel. Neither predicts how Israelis will vote, and both surveys predate Sunday's endorsement.

The July survey included 772 respondents, while the October survey included 821. Both were weighted to represent Israel's adult population.

Trump's Record on Foreign Elections

Trump has endorsed Hungary's Viktor Orbán, who lost his bid for a fifth term, as well as Japan's Sanae Takaichi and Poland's Karol Nawrocki.

Those examples provide context for his backing of Netanyahu, but they do not establish how much influence he has over voters in another country.

The Orbán result also shows that Trump's endorsement does not guarantee victory.

Iran Warning and the Vote Ahead

Trump also threatened to 'soon finish the job' against Iran unless it changed its approach, while suggesting his willingness to act could depend on who leads Israel.

He credited Netanyahu with joining the United States in launching strikes on Iran in February and called him a peace partner.

Netanyahu has welcomed the endorsement, but its effect on the 27 October vote remains unclear. Earlier surveys show that many Israelis regard Trump as a friend of Israel, even as confidence in his handling of relations has weakened.