US President Donald Trump has avoided giving direct support to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for another term, ahead of the October 27 elections in Israel.
In an interview with TIME magazine on Monday and published on Thursday, Trump was asked whether Israelis should give Netanyahu another term. The US president initially said he was no longer involved in politics, but when asked again, he shifted his answer to his support for Israel's security.
"My main thing is I want to help them defend Israel," Trump said, stopping short of giving a direct answer in favor of Netanyahu.
Instead of taking a clear stance, Trump spoke about his popularity in Israel, claiming that support for him there reaches around 99 percent, while also mentioning the policies that his administration has pursued in relation to Israel.
Asked about the possibility of Washington working with opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot, the former chief of staff of the Israeli army, Trump said he had not heard anything bad about him. However, he warned that Netanyahu should not be underestimated.
"People have considered Bibi to be finished many, many times, just as they have considered me to be finished many, many times. I would not underestimate Bibi," Trump said.
Trump was also asked about reports that Netanyahu had received warnings from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The US president expressed disbelief in this version.
"I don't think so. I think if he had known, he would have done something about it. Of course, he would have put people at least on alert," he said.
In the rest of the interview, Trump also spoke at length about the war with Iran and said he had chosen to expand military operations, despite initial assessments predicting a shorter conflict.
He stated that he had the opportunity to stop the operation earlier, but decided to continue, arguing that the aim was to damage Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure.
Trump also spoke about the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that Iran had managed to close it for a period, but then the US took control of the strategic passage. He also confirmed that he had rejected an Iranian proposal for a ceasefire, arguing that the conditions were not sufficient.
Asked whether the US might again intensify attacks on Iran after the November midterm elections, Trump initially said such a scenario was "possible" but then declined to provide details.
"I can't tell you that," the American president replied.
Meanwhile, the Israeli elections on October 27 are approaching, with Netanyahu seeking another term and Gadi Eisenkot emerging as one of his main rivals.
