Trump claims credit for Netanyahu's election lead

Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday, asserting that his public backing saved Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from a decisive defeat in Tuesday's elections. The post, signed by Irving C. Schwartz, stated that the trend changed after Trump endorsed the Prime Minister, turning what would have been a loss into a victory. Trump, writing in the third person, claimed he only wants what is good for the Middle East, Israel, and the United States.

Partial results from the Central Election Commission show Likud leading the race with 21.7% of the vote as of 42% of ballots counted. Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party follows with 15.7%, while the Joint List of Arab parties holds 9.2%. The data indicates that neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition has secured the 61 seats required to form a government in the Knesset.

The post appears in quotation marks without Trump clarifying Schwartz's identity or confirming if the text is a direct third-party quote. Schwartz's message emphasizes that the shift occurred specifically after the American endorsement. The post frames the current stalemate as a comeback win for Netanyahu rather than a loss for a major Prime Minister.

Exit polls and partial counts suggest the opposition bloc would outperform Netanyahu's camp in total seats, yet both sides remain short of a governing majority. The Knesset now faces a fragmented result where no single faction commands the legislative power needed to govern immediately. The Israeli President has indicated he will defend his autonomy in selecting a government formation candidate.

The election results are being monitored closely as they determine the political future of Israel and Netanyahu's tenure after years of conflict. Netanyahu has previously warned that an electoral loss could lead to a second Holocaust, a comment that has fueled debate ahead of these results. The final seat distribution will depend on the remaining 58% of votes yet to be counted.