Israeli President Rejects Trump Pressure as Netanyahu Faces Election Threat

WHO:

MS NOW - Isaac Herzog is Israel’s president; Benjamin Netanyahu is prime minister and leads Likud; Gadi Eisenkot leads the Yashar party and is Netanyahu’s main challenger.

MS NOW - Herzog said, “I don’t think the president of the United States or anybody else can intervene in my discretion,” and said the decision would be his alone. He said he has “huge respect” for Trump and welcomes dialogue.

MS NOW - Herzog described the decision as “Israel’s democracy and Israel’s constitution, and that’s what counts for me.”

AlterNet - Netanyahu reportedly asked Trump for more public support in his reelection campaign, according to a U.S. source with knowledge and an Israeli source briefed on the matter, as reported by Axios reporter Barak Ravid.

AlterNet - Likud spokesperson Neta Molcho denied that Netanyahu had asked Trump for campaign support “in recent days or before his endorsement statement.” The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

AlterNet - Terry H. Schwadron, a retired senior editor at The New York Times, wrote about Trump’s endorsement of Netanyahu.

WHAT:

MS NOW - Herzog will decide which political party gets the first opportunity to form a government, a decision that could affect Netanyahu’s political future.

MS NOW - Polling described in the article showed neither Likud nor Yashar likely to win outright. Coalition building would be needed to reach the 61-seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

MS NOW - Herzog said the decision would be “very delicate” and “an open game,” particularly if the results are close.

MS NOW - Eisenkot has ruled out including both Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties in a government he leads. Arab Israelis make up about 21% of Israel’s population; the article says politicians seeking the premiership have long excluded Arab parties from government.

MS NOW - Herzog said he would try to avoid further elections, including by pushing for a national unity government with Netanyahu and Eisenkot and without leaders of extremist parties. He said, “I don’t know if it’s feasible.”

AlterNet - Trump endorsed Netanyahu after weeks of hesitation and suggested Netanyahu’s defeat would have consequences for U.S.-Israel relations. Trump said people in Israel had asked him to get involved in support of Netanyahu.

AlterNet - All three projections cited by Ravid gave Netanyahu’s bloc 50 of 120 Knesset seats, 17 fewer than his current coalition; Likud was projected to win 20 seats, down from its current 32.

WHERE:

MS NOW - The interview and political developments concern Israel; Herzog’s comments were made in Jerusalem.

WHY:

AlterNet - Ravid said Washington insiders viewed Netanyahu’s reported requests for Trump’s support as a “sign of desperation” and an indication that Netanyahu feared he was behind Eisenkot.

AlterNet - Schwadron wrote that Trump’s endorsement revived personal loyalty and signaled aggressiveness toward Iran and Muslim “restiveness,” as well as support for authoritative government figures.

HOW:

MS NOW - Herzog’s decision concerns which party gets the first chance to build a coalition; the Knesset majority threshold is 61 seats.

MS NOW - Herzog said decisions about war and peace were at stake in political debate, and that any military escalation or negotiations were up to negotiators, militaries, and the U.S. president.

(UPDATED October 26, 2026 01:33 UTC)

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog says he alone will decide which party gets the first chance to form the next government, despite President Trump’s support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Herzog called the decision delicate and said it must reflect Israel’s democracy and constitution. Netanyahu’s main challenger is Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party. Neither party is projected to win outright, so coalition talks will be needed to reach 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Projections cited give Netanyahu’s bloc 50 seats, while Likud is forecast to fall to 20 from 32. Trump endorsed Netanyahu after weeks of hesitation and warned that his defeat could affect U.S.-Israel relations. Reports say Netanyahu sought more public support from Trump, but Likud denied he had asked. Herzog says he will try to avoid another election, possibly by pursuing a unity government with Netanyahu and Eisenkot, though he is unsure it is feasible.