WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has claimed that his public support helped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turn the prospect of a decisive election defeat into a more favourable political outcome, as Israel’s closely contested election leaves the next government uncertain.
According to international media reports, Trump made the remarks in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, where he credited his backing with changing the political outlook for Netanyahu and his Likud-led alliance.
Trump said his support had helped transform what could have been a decisive defeat for the Israeli leader into a potential deadlock or victory. He added that his intentions were focused on improving conditions for the Middle East, Israel and the United States.
The comments came as vote counting continued following Israel’s parliamentary election, with preliminary figures showing Netanyahu’s political bloc ahead of its main rivals but still short of the seats required to form a government independently.
According to the reported early results, Netanyahu’s bloc had secured 55 parliamentary seats, while the alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot had won 50 seats.
Despite the narrow advantage, Netanyahu still faces a difficult path to retaining power. A governing majority in Israel’s 120-member Knesset requires at least 61 seats, leaving his alliance six seats short of the threshold.
The results have therefore created uncertainty over whether Netanyahu can secure sufficient support from smaller parties to assemble a functioning coalition. Even with the leading position, his political future will depend on negotiations and the willingness of other lawmakers to support his government.
Trump’s intervention adds an international dimension to the election, highlighting the close political relationship between the US president and the Israeli prime minister. His remarks also suggest that he views his public endorsement as an important factor in Netanyahu’s electoral prospects.
However, the preliminary figures do not establish that Trump’s support directly changed the election outcome. The final distribution of seats and subsequent coalition negotiations will determine whether Netanyahu can remain in office.
For now, the Israeli leader’s alliance has an early advantage but lacks the parliamentary numbers needed to govern alone. The opposition, meanwhile, has an opportunity to challenge his bid for another term if it can build a viable alternative coalition.
As counting and political discussions continue, the central question remains whether Netanyahu can turn his narrow lead into a stable government. Trump has presented the outcome as a political turnaround, but the decisive test will be whether the Israeli prime minister can secure the 61 seats required to retain power.
