US President Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday that he was so popular in Israel that he might “run for prime minister” while also praising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in remarks about ongoing tensions with Iran.
The comments appeared in a video shared on X in which Trump answered reporters’ questions about Netanyahu and Israel’s approach to Iran.
“He’s great. He’ll do anything I want him to do. He’s a very good man,” Trump said of Netanyahu. “He’s a great guy. To me, he’s a great guy.”
Trump also argued that Netanyahu, whom he called a “wartime prime minister,” was not treated fairly in Israel.
“I am 99% in Israel now”
During the exchange, Trump discussed his popularity in Israel and jokingly touched upon the possibility of running for office there.
“I support Israel 99 percent now. I could run for prime minister,” Trump said. “So maybe after I do that, I’ll go to Israel and run for prime minister.”
The president added, “I took a poll this morning. My approval rating was 99 percent. So that’s good.”
Trump also appeared to criticize the leadership dynamic in Israel, saying, “I think they have a president there who treats him very badly,” referring to Netanyahu.
Comments as tensions rise with Iran
Trump’s comments come as Israeli lawmakers advance a bill proposed by Netanyahu’s ruling coalition that would dissolve parliament and potentially trigger new elections.
Trump also addressed the escalation involving Iran, saying the United States was approaching a decisive stage.
“We’re in the home stretch of the Iran issue. We’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters. “Either we make a deal or we’re going to do something a little bit nasty.”
He added, “We’re going to try this. I’m in no rush.”
Later on Wednesday, Trump reportedly claimed that Iran’s air force and navy had been effectively destroyed and warned that future military operations could become “much more difficult” if Tehran does not agree to a deal.
While tensions remain high, diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran are reportedly ongoing.
