What I will do if Americans reject me – Trump
What I will do if Americans reject me – Trump
What I will do if Americans reject me – Trump
United States President Donald Trump has jokingly suggested that he could relocate to Israel and become its prime minister if Americans eventually grow tired of his leadership.
Trump made the remark during a telephone interview with Fox News’ Fox & Friends on Tuesday, November 3, as Americans went to the polls for the 2026 midterm elections, blueprint reports.
The president was speaking about his relationship with Israel and his popularity in the country when he made the comment.
“In fact, if people ever got tired of me in the U.S., I’ll move to Israel and become prime minister,” Trump said.
He claimed to enjoy a 99 per cent approval rating in Israel, describing it as the highest approval rating of anyone in history.
However, Trump did not provide polling evidence to substantiate the figure.
The remark attracted attention because it came on a major election day in the United States, when voters were deciding the composition of Congress and assessing the performance of his administration.
Trump boasts of relationship with Israel
During the interview, Trump highlighted what he described as his strong relationship with Israel, praising the country as a major American ally.
He also referred to his administration’s actions against Iran, presenting the outcome of its military campaign as part of the reason for his claimed popularity among Israelis.
The president’s comments came amid growing political debate in the United States over Washington’s financial and military support for Israel, particularly in the context of the conflicts involving Israel, Iran and the wider Middle East.
Trump also announced that the United States would end its annual military assistance to Israel after 2026, saying the country had developed sufficiently and no longer needed the funding.
He said the decision followed discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although details of how the proposed change would be implemented were not immediately clear.
US plans to end annual military aid to Israel
Trump’s announcement on military assistance represents a significant potential shift in the longstanding security relationship between Washington and Tel Aviv.
Under a 10-year agreement signed in 2016, the United States committed $38 billion in military assistance to Israel for the 2019–2028 period, equivalent to approximately $3.8 billion annually.
The assistance has been central to Israel’s military procurement and defence capabilities, including the acquisition of American weapons and support for joint missile-defence programmes.
Trump said the arrangement could be brought to an end because Israel no longer required the annual funding, although he indicated that the United States would continue selling weapons to the country and provide assistance when necessary.
The announcement drew criticism from Israeli opposition figures, including former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, who questioned the way the proposed change emerged publicly.
Another opposition figure, Yair Golan, warned that ending the assistance could place additional pressure on Israel’s defence financing at a time of heightened regional security challenges.
There were also questions about the implementation of the proposed change, given that the existing agreement runs until September 2028 and any adjustment to American foreign assistance would involve Congress.
Political humour amid domestic pressure
Trump’s Israel remark was not an announcement of an actual relocation plan or a formal declaration of interest in Israeli political office.
Rather, it was presented as a humorous response while he was discussing his popularity in Israel and his relationship with the country.
It was also not the first time the American president had made a similar suggestion. In May 2026, he joked that he could move to Israel and seek to become prime minister after completing his political career in the United States.
His latest comment, however, came at a politically sensitive moment, with Republicans facing voters in midterm elections that could affect the balance of power in Congress and the direction of the remainder of his presidency.
The election campaign had been shaped by debates over the economy, the cost of living, immigration, foreign policy and the administration’s approach to the conflict involving Iran.
Trump used his television appearance to defend his record and encourage support for Republicans, while reiterating his claim that his policies had strengthened America’s international standing.
Although his statement about becoming Israel’s prime minister was made in jest, the comment again drew attention to the unusually close personal and political relationship he has cultivated with Netanyahu and the Israeli government.
