Benjamin Netanyahu will seek re-election as Israel’s Prime Minister in this year’s elections, his Likud party announced Wednesday, following US President Donald Trump’s statement that he wasn’t sure if the Israeli Prime Minister would run again.
In a brief statement, Netanyahu’s Likud party said he “will be a candidate in the elections and, God willing, will win.” The elections have not yet been officially announced, but must be held by October.
🔴 ‘With God’s help he will win:’ Likud Party emphasises Netanyahu to run in upcoming elections, following Trump’s doubtful comments
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) June 10, 2026
Earlier, ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl posted on X that Trump had told him he didn’t know if Netanyahu would be a candidate. “I don’t know, he’s had an amazing career. Does he want to continue?” the reporter quoted Trump as saying.
The Israeli elections will be the first since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, the country’s worst security failure, which triggered Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu’s term and polling numbers
Netanyahu has faced a turbulent term since returning to power in December 2022, as head of Israel’s most right-wing coalition government in history. He confronted massive anti-government protests before the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
Polls have repeatedly shown that his alliance would not manage to win a majority in the next elections. A poll published on June 9 by the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute think tank found that 61% of the Israeli public believes he should not be a candidate.
However, polls also show that a potential alliance of opposition parties would not manage to secure a parliamentary majority unless it forms a coalition with Arab parties, something some opposition leaders have ruled out.
American and Israeli officials report that Trump and Netanyahu, who jointly launched the war against Iran in February, continue to maintain close relations, though these have come under pressure at times, including in recent weeks, as Trump has asked Israel to limit its military actions in Lebanon while Washington negotiates a peace agreement with Tehran.
Last week, Trump admitted he called Netanyahu “fucking crazy” in a heated phone conversation, though he also said they get along well. He has repeatedly called on Israel’s president to pardon Netanyahu for pending corruption charges, which Netanyahu denies.
