Trump Sidesteps Endorsement Of Netanyahu, Praises PM And Defends Israel Policy In Time Interview

United States President Donald Trump stopped short of directly endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu in a Time magazine interview published on Thursday, even as he repeatedly praised the Israeli prime minister and has hosted him at the White House several times this year.

Pressed three times about whether Israelis should give Netanyahu another term, Trump declined to tell voters how to cast their ballots. Instead he redirected the conversation to his own standing in Israel and to U.S. measures taken in support of Israel's government.

Key Exchange With Time

The interviewer asked whether "the Israeli people should give Netanyahu another term?" Trump replied: "Well, I can only say that I'm not involved in politics any more, except that we're popular," adding that he believed he was "99 percent" popular in Israel. When asked again, he cited continued U.S. security assistance and his decision during his first term to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"No, my primary thing — I do want to help them defend Israel. My thing that I mention all the time is Iran cannot have a nuclear power because they are crazy and you can't let crazy people have nuclear weapons," Trump said, according to the interview transcript.

Relationship With Netanyahu

Trump has publicly emphasized his relationship with Netanyahu throughout his second term, even as some officials have leaked accounts suggesting private tensions between the two leaders. Records cited in reporting show Trump has met Netanyahu at least seven times since January 2025 and has publicly pushed for a pardon in the Israeli leader's ongoing corruption trial.

Comments On Iran And Military Action

Speaking to Time, Trump defended the administration's campaign against Iran and said he might still seek to "annihilate" Iran, adding he could resume bombing after the midterm vote. Those comments have drawn concern from critics and opponents who say escalatory rhetoric and military action increase regional instability.

Political Ramifications

Domestically, Trump and the Republican Party have faced growing discontent over some aspects of the administration's Israel policy. Reporting and public perceptions that Israel's government influenced the decision to begin U.S.-Israel military action against Iran in February have become a political vulnerability ahead of the November midterm elections; the conflict has also been cited as a factor pushing up fuel prices in the United States.

Israel's Election And Other Questions

Trump most recently hosted Netanyahu at the White House in July, a meeting criticized by some for appearing to overlook Israeli actions critics say have hindered efforts to end the fighting and secure a lasting peace in Gaza. Trump also dismissed reports that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates warned Netanyahu about the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, saying: "I think if he would have known, he would have done something about it."

The president was asked whether U.S. security support would change if Gadi Eisenkot, whose opposition bloc has led some polls, won the October 27 vote. Trump replied: "Well, I don't know. I don't hear bad things about him."

Reporting note: This article summarizes remarks and reporting from the Time interview and related coverage. Some assertions remain contested and are presented here as reported or as perceptions described by critics and analysts.