Trump Endorses Netanyahu in Israeli Election, Calls Him 'Exceptional Warrior'

Two days before Israel's legislative elections, US President Donald Trump endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu on his social media platform, calling him an "exceptional warrior" and citing their "shared victory" against Iran. Trump urged Israelis on Sunday to vote for the incumbent prime minister in Tuesday's election, referencing the war launched against Iran in February alongside the US. Netanyahu's campaign has centered on security, while rival Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief, promised to unite a deeply divided country and create an independent commission on the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Eisenkot, whose bloc is tied in polls with Netanyahu's, also pledged to crack down on settler violence in the occupied West Bank and accused his opponent of exploiting the Iranian threat. Opposition figure Yair Lapid harshly criticized Netanyahu's campaign tactics.