Trump denies discussing Netanyahu request for another endorsement: ‘I never spoke about it’

Less than 24 hours before Israel’s elections, the US president was asked whether Netanyahu had requested a second endorsement and denied discussing the matter, despite contradictory reports.

US President Donald Trump appeared to deny on Monday that he had discussed issuing an additional endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s elections.

Speaking to reporters while boarding Air Force One on his way to a campaign rally in Mississippi, Trump was asked directly whether Netanyahu had requested the second endorsement.

“I never spoke about it,” the president replied.

“I put out both endorsements. I put out both,” Trump said, adding, “I think he’s done a very good job as prime minister under very trying conditions.”

Trump’s response contradicts accounts provided by US officials to The Jerusalem Post, who said Netanyahu had been making intensive efforts to persuade the American president to issue another public statement of support, after the initial endorsement failed to produce a significant shift in the polls.

Axios also reported that Netanyahu had spoken with Trump twice within three days and asked him to reinforce his public support. According to the report, the prime minister even suggested possible wording for additional endorsements and requested that Trump speak with Israeli journalists to emphasize his backing.

The Likud party denied the report that Netanyahu had requested the president’s endorsement.

Trump on Brazil’s election: ‘I like Lula,’ but vote counting had ‘a very bad look’

During the same exchange, Trump was also asked about Brazil’s presidential election, in which incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated right-wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Asked whether he intended to take any action regarding the election results, Trump replied: “I’m not running Brazil. I’m running the USA.”

Nevertheless, the American president criticized the conduct of the election and the vote-counting process.

“I like Lula. I get along with him very well,” Trump said. “I just think it had a very bad look. The election, the way it was tabulated.”

He later added: “The extension given was very strange.”

His remarks referred to a decision by Brazil’s Supreme Court to extend voting by two hours during the election’s second round. The decision followed complaints of disruptions to public transportation but sparked significant political controversy.