Trump Floats Moving to Israel and Replacing Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister if Americans Turn Against Him in Bizarre Election Day Rant
Trump joked that if Americans ever get tired of him, he’ll just move to Israel and become prime minister
Nov. 4 2026, Published 6:48 a.m. ET
President Donald Trump joked that he could relocate to Israel and become its prime minister if Americans ever grew tired of him.
The president remarked during an Election Day phone interview with Fox News' "Fox & Friends" on November 3, while discussing his relationship with Israel and claiming to enjoy overwhelming support there.
Trump also repeated his assertion that his approval rating among Israelis stood at 99%, although he did not identify a poll to support the figure.
His comments drew sarcastic responses from critics and came shortly after he publicly endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reelection campaign.
Trump Says He Could Move to Israel if Americans Get Tired of Him
Trump made the comment during a Fox News interview on Election Day
Trump raised the possibility of moving to Israel while discussing his popularity in the country. He claimed his approval rating was 99% and suggested that he could pursue the country's top political position if his support in the United States declined.
"So, I'm the No. 1 ... I was 99% approval rating in Israel; can you believe it? In fact, if people ever got tired of me in the U.S., I'll move to Israel and become prime minister," he said.
He continued to boast about the figure, adding, "But I'm at 99 — think of it. I'm at 99, I have the highest approval rating of anybody in history. Because I've been ... we stopped Iran."
Trump did not provide polling evidence for his claim. Fox News subsequently shared a short clip of the exchange, describing his suggestion as a joke about becoming Israel's next prime minister.
However, the position is not one a foreign national can simply assume. Under Israel's Basic Law, the prime minister must be a member of the Knesset, and government ministers must be Israeli citizens and residents.
Trump's 99% Approval Claim Has Previously Been Questioned
Trump also claimed he has a 99% approval rating in Israel
This was not the first time Trump suggested he could pursue Israel's top political office. In May 2026, he made a similar remark after claiming that 99% of Israelis supported him.
A fact-check published by Lead Stories on May 21 found no publicly available reputable poll showing that level of support.
The publication cited a June 2025 Pew Research Center survey, which found that 69% of Israeli adults had at least some confidence in Trump.
A separate Jewish People Policy Institute survey from February 2026 found that 73% of Israelis considered his performance better than average for Israel's interests.
Neither survey supports the president's 99% assertion.
Trump Recently Gave Netanyahu His Complete Endorsement
Trump said the same kind of thing back in May, joking about running for prime minister there
Trump's latest comments followed his public endorsement of Netanyahu ahead of Israel's October 27 parliamentary election.
In an October 18 Truth Social post, he praised the Israeli leader as a "Great Warrior Prime Minister" and an "even greater Partner for Peace" in the fight against Iran.
He also warned that Israel choosing the "wrong Leader," which he described as anyone other than Netanyahu, could leave the United States responsible for handling the conflict with Iran itself.
Speaking to Axios, Trump explained that he backed Netanyahu because they had a "good relationship" and would "continue to do well" together if the Israeli leader secured another term.
Netanyahu welcomed the endorsement, writing, "Together we will complete the mission."
Israel's election results have since added another layer to the political situation.
Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, falling short of the 61 needed for a majority. The opposition bloc won 48 seats, while Arab-led parties secured 19, leaving government formation dependent on coalition negotiations.
Trump Faces Reactions After Election Day Comments
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Trump didn’t provide any poll or evidence for the 99% number he mentioned
Several critics responded sarcastically to Trump's suggestion that he could move overseas. The Tennessee Holler wrote, "Trump threatens us with a good time."
George Conway also weighed in, joking that wishing Trump on Israel would amount to antisemitism before suggesting that the president could consider moving to another country instead.
Journalist Mehdi Hasan reacted to the interview on social media, writing, "I can't believe he actually said this out loud." He added, "On Fox. The 2026 midterms summed up in one moment."
The interview also featured a separate announcement about US financial assistance to Israel. Trump said he and Netanyahu had agreed to end approximately $4 billion in annual American funding after 2026, arguing that Israel no longer needed the money.
However, the existing US-Israel security assistance agreement provides $3.8 billion annually through September 2028. Trump did not explain how the proposed change would be implemented.
Reuters reported that it was unclear which funding Trump intended to end or how the agreement would be changed. Congress would also retain a role in approving annual appropriations.
