President Donald Trump of the United States has endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before Tuesday’s Israel election, while some advisers see another government as an opening for his Middle East agenda.
US officials told Axios that advisers around Trump do not uniformly view a Netanyahu-led government as the best outcome for the administration’s regional priorities.
Trump has nevertheless given Netanyahu what he called his “complete and total endorsement” before the October 27 vote. The two leaders have built a close but sometimes turbulent relationship.
Trump has never worked with an Israeli prime minister other than Netanyahu and does not personally know the other candidates competing in the election.
Read: Iran Prolongs US Negotiations to Weaken Trump, Officials Say
Some advisers have questioned whether tying Washington’s regional strategy so closely to Netanyahu would serve Trump’s wider Middle East objectives.
Their position contrasts with the president’s public support for the Israeli leader as voters prepare to choose the next Knesset.
Read: Trump Issues Iran Warning, Backs Netanyahu Re-Election
Netanyahu is competing in a closely watched election that could determine whether he can retain power and assemble another governing coalition.
Trump’s advisers are also assessing what the result could mean for future US policy in the region after the vote.
