Trump on Netanyahu’s Political Future: “I Don’t Know if He Wants to Keep Going”

President Donald Trump addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future and said he is uncertain whether Netanyahu will choose to run again in Israeli elections. In an interview with ABC, Trump was asked whether he believes Netanyahu will make another bid for prime minister, and replied that in his view, the issue is still unclear.

The American president said: “That’s an open question. I don’t know. He’s had an amazing career. Does he want to keep going?”. He went on to explain the reason for his hesitation, linking it to the security reality in which the prime minister has been operating in recent months.

According to Trump, it is important to take into account the fact that Netanyahu is leading the government during wartime: “He is a wartime prime minister, and very soon we’re going to win the war, one way or another. You have to remember that he is a wartime prime minister”.

Economy Minister Nir Barkat was asked about the remarks in an interview with Kan News on Reshet Bet and clarified: “I’m not familiar with Trump’s statement regarding Netanyahu’s candidacy. We are preparing for elections, and we have a few things to complete”.

At the same time, the economy minister spoke at length about the relationship between Netanyahu and the president of the United States, emphasizing that in his view it is extraordinary in both scope and importance. According to him, the cooperation between the two countries in recent months highlights the depth of the relationship between the leaders and the strategic coordination between Jerusalem and Washington.

Barkat said: “The relationship between President Trump and Netanyahu is unprecedented. President Trump makes various statements, but the cooperation between the two countries is unprecedented. We turned Iran from a nuclear-threshold state into a paper tiger. Everyone is looking at this relationship — and they’re very jealous”.