Political commentator Mati Tuchfeld (C14) says Prime Minister Netanyahu is counting on U.S. President Donald Trump in the upcoming election campaign, but Trump's popularity among the Israeli public is declining as he is perceived as failing against the Iranian regime. Tuchfeld's assessment follows earlier reports that Likud officials are concerned about waning support for Trump in Israel.
Earlier today (June 10, 09:17), The Zioneer reported that Likud party leaders are identifying a trend of waning support for U.S. President Donald Trump among parts of the Israeli public, partly due to concerns over his handling of Iran. Now, political desk chief Mati Tuchfeld (C14) offers a more pointed assessment: Netanyahu is betting his election campaign on Trump's popularity, but that very asset is eroding as Trump is increasingly perceived as failing against the Iranian regime. This analysis comes against a backdrop of multiple reports and assessments this week. Polls cited by Israeli media show Trump's approval near career lows (The Zioneer, June 8), and senior U.S. officials have expressed frustration with the pace of talks with Iran (The Zioneer, June 10). Analysts have noted that Tehran sees Trump as unreliable and that his push for a deal may be interpreted as weakness (The Zioneer, June 9–10). Tuchfeld's remarks sharpen the domestic political implications for Netanyahu, who has staked part of his leadership image on a close alliance with Trump and a strong stance against Iran.
2 developments
- DevelopingTimes of Israel: Trump may be tiring of Netanyahu as poll shows Israelis want change
- DevelopingTrump approval near career low as Americans fear rising fuel prices
- StrongLikud confirms Netanyahu will run in next election, pushing back against Trump's doubts
- DevelopingTrump says Netanyahu's next term is an open question
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Internal intake