Trump Aides Signal Willingness to Deal With Israeli Opposition Ahead of October 27 Vote

Senior aides to President Donald Trump are positioning themselves to manage relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political opponents if the incumbent loses Israel's upcoming election. US officials told Axios that the team is optimistic about the opportunity to work with the opposition bloc, creating a clear split in strategy within the administration.

The tension stems from a decision Trump made to endorse Netanyahu. Many of the president's closest advisers opposed this move, arguing he should have stayed out of the race. One Trump adviser described the dynamic bluntly, calling Netanyahu "the devil [Trump] knows." This internal friction has complicated the White House approach as the voting date approaches.

Vice President JD Vance has attempted to navigate this split by maintaining distance from the prime minister. When asked about the race this week, Vance stated he is neither attacking nor endorsing Netanyahu. He emphasized that the president's endorsement is the primary factor that matters, effectively leaving the vice presidential stance neutral.

Strains in the administration extend beyond the election strategy to specific policy disagreements. US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack has raised concerns about the Netanyahu government's handling of Syria. Following Israeli strikes on a base in Idlib, Barrack criticized the attack as an "unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team maintain a closer relationship with the prime minister. However, they have expressed frustration with what they view as Netanyahu's failure to curb settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. His team also believes Israel could do more to strengthen the Lebanese government, indicating a desire for a more active Israeli role in the region.

The political landscape in Israel is shifting rapidly. The latest Maariv poll released this week shows the opposition bloc widening its lead to 54 seats. Netanyahu's bloc has dropped to 48 seats, a gap that suggests a potential change in leadership if the current trends hold through the October 27 vote.

The survey also revealed strong public preference for a unity government if the election does not produce a clear majority. Sixty percent of respondents favored such an arrangement, compared with 23% who wanted another election. Among those preferring unity, 33% wanted a candidate from the opposition bloc to lead, while only 19% preferred Netanyahu. In a head-to-head matchup for prime minister, Gadi Eisenkot leads Netanyahu with 49% support against 41%.