President Donald Trump told Israeli public broadcaster Kan on Thursday afternoon that he will likely support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, but qualified that he needs to see who the challengers are and that Netanyahu must be 'more rational.' The remark, reported by Kan's Amit Segal, adds a condition to Trump's previously expressed willingness to back the Israeli premier.
President Donald Trump told Israeli public broadcaster Kan on Thursday afternoon that he is likely to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, but attached conditions that underscore a subtle shift in tone from earlier statements. 'I'll likely support Netanyahu in the elections, but I need to see who is running,' Trump said. 'He needs to be more rational.' The remark, reported by Kan journalist Amit Segal, comes as Trump has previously signaled backing for the Israeli premier in what analysts described as an effort to secure a diplomatic deal. The condition — that Netanyahu must act 'more rationally' — marks the first time Trump has publicly prescribed a behavioral standard for the prime minister. The Zioneer reported earlier on Thursday, at 17:12 Jerusalem time, a near-identical quote from Trump to Kan without the 'more rational' clause, suggesting the earlier report may have been a partial excerpt or early readout. The full quote now published by N12 via Segal includes the qualifying language. The statement arrives amid a series of Trump-Netanyahu interactions over recent weeks, including a reported extended meeting on June 14 and mixed signals from Washington about the president's patience with the Israeli leader. Trump's new formulation could strengthen opposition arguments that Netanyahu is too rigid for the alliance, while simultaneously reinforcing the prime minister's campaign claim of U.S. presidential support.
4 developments
- DevelopingTrump says Netanyahu's next term is an open question
- DevelopingCommentator urges Netanyahu to tell Trump Israel will withdraw from Lebanon 'at the right time'
- DevelopingTimes of Israel: Trump may be tiring of Netanyahu as poll shows Israelis want change
- DevelopingTrump: Netanyahu will have no choice but to accept any Iran agreement
Source and signal
- Internal intake