Trump and Netanyahu’s Ties Cool Before Israel Vote
Sandego.net – Trump and Netanyahu’s once closely aligned political partnership is no longer a central feature of Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign ahead of Israel’s October 27 election. Although the Israeli prime minister has long highlighted his access to Donald Trump, the US president has not offered a public endorsement as voters prepare to decide Netanyahu’s political future.
In previous elections, Netanyahu’s Likud party prominently displayed images of the two leaders together. Billboards paired them with the slogan “A different league,” using their relationship to portray Netanyahu as uniquely able to influence Washington. Likud’s newest campaign advertisements have appeared across Israel, but Trump is missing from the most visible displays.
Trump still appears in some campaign videos, yet his public posture has changed. He has declined to say whether Netanyahu should win another term and has stressed that he no longer intends to participate in Israeli politics.
“I’m not involved in [Israeli] politics anymore,” Trump told Time earlier this month.
A Former Campaign Asset Becomes Less Visible
The distance is striking because Trump and Netanyahu’s once prominent alliance helped define earlier Netanyahu campaigns. Trump appeared in a message encouraging Israelis to support Netanyahu in 2013, before becoming president, and their relationship later became an important part of Likud’s political message.
After entering the White House in 2017, Trump made several decisions that Netanyahu presented as evidence of strong US-Israel ties. In April 2019, shortly before an Israeli election, Netanyahu joined Trump in Washington as the US president signed a proclamation recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights.
Another major moment came in January 2020, when Trump unveiled his Israeli-Palestinian “Deal of the Century” proposal with Netanyahu at his side. Those appearances gave Netanyahu a powerful visual argument that his leadership offered Israel unusual access to the American president.
This election season has lacked a comparable public event. Netanyahu’s August trip to the White House was not open to cameras, while a meeting did not take place when he traveled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
War and Politics Strain the Relationship
The cooler tone follows months of frustration over Netanyahu’s military and political decisions. Israeli actions in Lebanon and Gaza have complicated peace efforts led by Trump, and the US president has reportedly expressed anger in private calls while warning that Israel could be losing support among Americans.
Trump has also questioned strikes on apartment buildings in Lebanon and raised concerns that the conflict involving Iran could worsen the global economic outlook. Some White House officials viewed certain Israeli decisions as being influenced by Netanyahu’s domestic political pressures.
During the summer, advisers around Trump concluded that Netanyahu may have sought to extend the Iran conflict partly to improve his position at home. Trump has allowed room for Israeli political realities, but his frustration has continued where he believes Israeli actions conflict with US interests.
Netanyahu’s uncertain standing in Israeli polling may add to Trump’s caution. Trump has often avoided endorsing candidates who appear politically vulnerable, even while continuing to describe his relationship with Netanyahu as very good.
“I don’t trust anybody in the world of politics,” Trump said when asked whether he trusted Netanyahu.
Israel Prize Plan Loses Its Campaign Value
Trump and Netanyahu’s once reliable campaign connection had been expected to resurface in a major way. At Mar-a-Lago last December, Netanyahu announced that Trump would become the first non-Israeli recipient of the Israel Prize, one of the country’s most prestigious honors.
Netanyahu’s team hoped Trump would accept the award in person during Israel’s Independence Day events in April, creating a significant campaign image. The war with Iran changed the political circumstances and disrupted those expectations.
FAQ: Israel’s October 27 Election
Why is Trump’s absence from Likud billboards important? Netanyahu previously used his relationship with Trump to emphasize his international influence. Trump’s reduced visibility removes a familiar campaign advantage at a crucial point in the election.
Has Trump endorsed Netanyahu? No. Trump has said that he is not involved in Israeli politics and has repeatedly avoided publicly saying that Netanyahu should win another term.
What issues are affecting Trump and Netanyahu’s relationship? Their relationship has been strained by disagreements and frustration surrounding Israeli military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, the conflict involving Iran, peace efforts, and concerns about Israel’s support among Americans.
