Netanyahu warns future U.S. President could turn hostile to Israel — SkimNews
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Netanyahu warned at a security doctrine event on October 18, 2026, that a future U.S. President — 'man or woman' — could be 'very hostile to Israel,' urging Israel to prepare for a 'dramatic shift in American policy.'
- Netanyahu called for expanding alliances with India and Latin America, citing 'a major shift in Latin America' and potential 'enormous change in Brazil in just a few days' as opportunities to broaden Israel's diplomatic network.
- Netanyahu stressed Israel must use the remaining years of Trump's presidency to strengthen its position, saying Israel must act 'through good times and bad' in the American arena while building alternative partnerships.
- Donald Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu's re-election bid hours after the security doctrine remarks, just days before the October 27 Israeli election.
- Netanyahu has repeatedly cited India and his relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including a May 2026 statement describing a 'unique relationship' with 'huge power' India where there is 'crazy love' for Israel.
- Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main challenger and former IDF Chief of Staff, dismissed the presentation as 'two hollow pages, full of slogans' that expose a 'strategic vacuum' and accused Netanyahu of 'manipulating perceptions' to spread fear before the election.
- Israeli analysts attribute growing Democratic apathy toward Israel to Netanyahu's choices over the years, noting his tense relations with Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden were repackaged to supporters as a leader's courage.
Why it matters: Netanyahu's framing — that Israel faces an existential risk if a non-Trump-aligned U.S. President takes office in two years — transforms foreign policy into an election survival tool. With the October 27 vote nine days away, the doctrine doubles as a campaign argument: only his continued leadership can manage the post-Trump transition. Eisenkot's counter that this is a 'strategic vacuum' underscores how hollow the security roadmap may be, while Trump's same-day endorsement signals Washington is already invested in Netanyahu's re-election.
Ask SkimNews
