Trump Says Eisenkot, Netanyahu Share Similar Views, Avoids Backing Either For Israeli PM

US President Donald Trump has said Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have “very similar” political views, declining to express a preference between the two as Israel begins the process of forming its next government. Speaking to reporters in Florida on Sunday, November 8, Trump said both leaders were aligned with his policies, after being asked about President Isaac Herzog's decision to give Eisenkot the first opportunity to form a government following the October 27 election.

“Well, you know they (Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot) are both fighting for that. They’re very similar in terms of their policy and their view,” Trump said. He added that Eisenkot had said positive things about him, including that he “loves Trump”, but said he had not followed the latest developments closely. Trump described the contest as one between Eisenkot and “Bibi Netanyahu”, adding that both were “strong on what I do”.

Eisenkot Gets First Chance To Form Israeli Government

Herzog announced on November 7 that he intended to task Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, with forming the next government. The decision followed consultations with political factions after the October 27 parliamentary election. Factions representing 67 members of the Knesset recommended Eisenkot for the task, while 46 lawmakers backed Netanyahu. Another faction, representing seven lawmakers, did not recommend either candidate.

Herzog formally assigned Eisenkot the mandate on November 8. Under Israel's Basic Law: The Government, he has 28 days to assemble a governing coalition. The president can grant an extension of up to 14 additional days if required. If Eisenkot fails to form a government within the prescribed period, the process could move to another candidate or potentially lead to fresh elections.

Eisenkot, a former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, has sought to present himself as an alternative to Netanyahu after the latter's governing bloc failed to secure a parliamentary majority. His party, Yashar, is now expected to begin coalition negotiations with other political groups to secure the numbers required to govern.

Trump Had Backed Netanyahu Before Israel Election

Trump's remarks are notable because he had publicly endorsed Netanyahu before Israelis went to the polls on October 27. In a social media post ahead of the election, the US president had said Israel needed Netanyahu as its leader and warned that Washington would otherwise have to take a more active role in dealing with Iran.

Despite his earlier endorsement, Trump did not explicitly back either candidate following Herzog's decision. Instead, he suggested that both Netanyahu and Eisenkot shared similar positions and would support his agenda.

The comments come as Israel faces a politically uncertain period following the election. Eisenkot must now negotiate with potential coalition partners to secure a parliamentary majority, while Netanyahu's Likud party remains a major force in the Knesset. The outcome of the negotiations will determine who leads Israel's next government and whether the country can avoid another election.