'Does he want to continue?' Trump questions Netanyahu's candidacy in upcoming Knesset elections

Former US President Donald Trump has publicly questioned whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to seek reelection, referring to him as a "wartime prime minister." Trump's comments, made during a phone call with ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl, suggest a potential shift in US-Israel dynamics under a future Trump administration.

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He's had an amazing career. Does he want to continue? Because, you know, he's a wartime prime minister.

Trump also issued a stark warning to Netanyahu regarding escalation with Iran. He reportedly told Netanyahu, "you'd better be careful what you do, because you could be left alone against Iran very soon." This statement follows Trump's previous advice to Netanyahu to avoid striking Iran in retaliation for a recent missile attack, a conversation that reportedly ended without a clear agreement.

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I told Bibi, you'd better be careful what you do, because you could be left alone against Iran very soon.

Adding to the complexity, Trump told the Financial Times that Netanyahu "won’t have any choice" but to accept a deal with Iran, asserting his own authority by stating, "I call the shots. I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots."

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Netanyahu "won’t have any choice" but to accept a deal with Iran.

In response to these developments, Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed he had been in contact with Trump, stating, “Together, we will bring safety to the North.” However, within Netanyahu's coalition, there was criticism regarding the cancellation of strikes on Beirut at Trump's behest. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sharply rebuked the move, arguing against yielding to Trump's influence.

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I call the shots. I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots.