WorldPosted at: Nov 9 2026 7:46PM


Trump blames declining support for Israel for Republican midterm losses

Washington, Nov 9 (UNI) US President Donald Trump has said declining public support for Israel was among the factors behind the Republican Party's heavy losses in last week's midterm elections, acknowledging growing opposition to Washington's close relationship with the country.
Asked to assess the results in an interview on Sunday, Trump cited several reasons for the Democratic takeover of both chambers of Congress, including his absence from the ballot, dissatisfaction with some Republican candidates and public opposition to the war with Iran.
"Number one, I was not on the ballot," Trump said, adding that voters had also been unhappy with some Republican candidates, including those he had endorsed.
"But there's something beyond that. They didn't like the [Iran] war. They didn't like the fact that gasoline went up," he said.
"And there's a great dislike, incredibly, for Israel," Trump added, without elaborating.
Public support for Israel has declined in the US since the Gaza war began in 2023 following the Hamas-led October 7 massacre, with the shift particularly pronounced among Democratic voters.
Vice-President JD Vance suggested last week that Republicans would need to reconsider their relationship with Israel if they hoped to improve their electoral prospects.
On election day, Trump also announced that the US would end its annual military assistance to Israel, amounting to approximately $4bn, by the end of 2026. The remarks reportedly caught Israeli security and financial officials off guard, as the existing memorandum of understanding provides Israel with $3.8bn in annual military assistance and does not expire until September 2028.
Trump subsequently sought to qualify the announcement, stressing that Israel had been a good ally and supported the policy. However, the timing of his remarks highlighted the growing political sensitivity surrounding US military aid to Israel across both major American parties.
The president had reportedly warned a Jewish donor last year that support for Israel was declining even among his own supporters.
Separately, Trump was asked on Sunday about Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot receiving the first opportunity from Israeli President Isaac Herzog to form a government, ahead of incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"They're very similar in terms of their policy," Trump said. He added that Eisenkot had "said very nice things about me" and that "he says he loves Trump".
"I haven't seen what's happening. It's certainly a contest between him and Bibi Netanyahu. We'll see what happens," he told reporters.
Eisenkot avoided directly criticising Trump after the US president twice publicly endorsed Netanyahu ahead of last month's Knesset election. Netanyahu had reportedly sought Trump's backing as opinion polls repeatedly indicated that his governing coalition was unlikely to secure a parliamentary majority.
Eisenkot ultimately secured more recommendations from lawmakers than Netanyahu and has been tasked with attempting to form the next government. He has sought to distinguish himself from the outgoing prime minister through a pledge to pursue a more moderate governing approach, although he has yet to outline substantial differences in policy.
His proposed administration would mark a departure from Netanyahu's outgoing coalition, which included far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
Trump has previously expressed frustration with Netanyahu's military and regional policies, despite the two leaders continuing to describe their relationship as positive.
In June, Trump's criticism intensified severely after Israeli strikes in Lebanon, complicating diplomatic efforts regarding Iran as he reportedly called Netanyahu "f****** crazy" over the scale of the attacks.
Earlier in the year, Trump had also reportedly described the Israeli prime minister as "his own worst enemy" amid disagreements over some of his policies.
UNI ANV CDS
Tags: #Trump blames declining support for Israel for Republican midterm losses
More News

Iran says its proposal remains most practical solution to end eight-month long war with US

09 Nov 2026 | 8:09 PM

Tehran, Nov 9 (UNI) Iran has said its existing proposal to the US giving Washington 48 hours to consider it, remains the most practical framework for restoring security in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that any and all progress towards reaching a settlement now depends entirely on the Trump administration's political willingness to resolve the war, which is currently on a stalemate.

see more..

Trump blames declining support for Israel for Republican midterm losses

09 Nov 2026 | 7:46 PM

Washington, Nov 9 (UNI) US President Donald Trump has said declining public support for Israel was among the factors behind the Republican Party's heavy losses in last week's midterm elections, acknowledging growing opposition to Washington's close relationship with the country.

see more..

Sheikh Hasina applies for new passport and ID as Bangladesh reviews request

09 Nov 2026 | 6:40 PM

Dhaka, Nov 9 (UNI) Ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has reportedly applied for a new passport and national identity card (NID) through the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, raising fresh speculation about her possible return from exile. However, Dhaka said it has yet to verify the authenticity of the reported application.

see more..

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits to having affair with woman suspected of ties with Chinese intelligence

09 Nov 2026 | 6:17 PM

Santa Clara, Nov 9 (UNI) Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has admitted to having an affair with a woman suspected of working for Chinese intelligence, triggering a major controversy around the head of the world's most valuable artificial intelligence company and prompting calls for congressional investigations.

see more..

Trump acknowledges his aggressive deportation policies might have been 'too tough', says they could have led to GOP loss in midterms

09 Nov 2026 | 5:50 PM

Washington, Nov 9 (UNI) US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that his aggressive deportation policies may have been "too tough" and contributed to the Republican Party's historic losses in the midterm elections, while suggesting he could take a more conciliatory approach to immigration.

see more..