Trump and Netanyahu’s Once-Close Alliance Faces a New Test
Goldlaner.com – Trump and Netanyahu’s once highly visible political partnership has become far less prominent as Israel approaches its October 27 election. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is again featured on campaign billboards, but President Donald Trump—previously a central image in Netanyahu’s messaging—is notably absent.
In earlier elections, Netanyahu used his relationship with Trump to underscore his international standing. Campaign material showed the two leaders together beneath the slogan “A different league.” Likud still includes Trump in some videos, but the president no longer appears in the party’s most prominent outdoor advertising.
No endorsement before Israel’s election
Trump has not endorsed Netanyahu and has avoided saying whether he wants the Israeli prime minister to remain in office. In an interview with Time earlier this month, Trump said he was no longer taking part in Israeli politics.
I’m not involved in [Israeli] politics anymore.
During a Thursday appearance on Newsmax, Trump said Netanyahu would welcome his involvement and spoke favorably about their past relationship. But he again declined to offer support. Asked whether he trusted Netanyahu, Trump said:
I don’t trust anybody in the world of politics.
That caution marks a sharp departure from the public displays that once made Trump and Netanyahu’s once-celebrated connection a useful campaign asset for the Israeli leader.
Years of public diplomatic victories
Trump’s role in Netanyahu’s political messaging began in 2013, when Trump was a businessman and television personality. In a video for Israeli voters, he encouraged support for Netanyahu. After becoming president in 2017, Trump delivered policy decisions that Netanyahu prominently highlighted in Israel.
In March 2019, shortly before an Israeli election, Netanyahu traveled to Washington to watch Trump sign a proclamation recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights. The following January, with another vote approaching, Trump presented his Israeli-Palestinian “Deal of the Century” proposal while Netanyahu stood beside him.
Those appearances reinforced Netanyahu’s claim that he could secure unusual access to Washington. This election season has offered no comparable public moment. Netanyahu’s August White House meeting took place without cameras, and he did not meet Trump during his September visit to New York for the UN General Assembly.
War disagreements reshape the relationship
Tensions have grown over military actions in Lebanon and Gaza, along with Trump-led peace efforts. Netanyahu’s decisions have at times frustrated Trump, who has privately criticized the prime minister in phone calls and warned that Israel could lose support in the United States.
Trump has expressed concern about strikes on apartment buildings in Lebanon and about the possibility that the Iran war could worsen a broader global economic downturn. Some White House officials also viewed Netanyahu’s decisions through the lens of Israel’s election campaign.
Over the summer, several Trump advisers concluded that Netanyahu was seeking to extend the Iran war in a way that could improve his domestic political position. Trump gave Netanyahu room to maneuver in part because he understood those pressures, but frustration remained over actions perceived as conflicting with US interests.
Netanyahu’s difficult electoral position may also explain Trump’s restraint. Trump has often avoided linking himself to candidates who appear politically vulnerable, and he has discussed Netanyahu’s prospects with the prime minister in recent months. The distance between Trump and Netanyahu’s once powerful political alliance now carries consequences for both leaders.
FAQ for Israeli Voters
Why is Trump missing from Netanyahu’s main campaign billboards?
Likud continues to use Trump in selected videos, but his absence from major outdoor advertising reflects a more complicated relationship and Trump’s decision not to endorse Netanyahu ahead of the October 27 election.
Has Trump publicly supported Netanyahu in this election?
No. Trump has spoken positively about their past ties, but he has repeatedly declined to endorse Netanyahu or say whether he believes Netanyahu should remain prime minister.
Why does the US-Israel relationship matter in an Israeli election?
For many Israeli voters, relations with Washington can affect perceptions of security cooperation, regional diplomacy and Israel’s freedom of action. Netanyahu has long presented his access to US leaders as an important part of his political case.