Trump Staff Draft Blueprint for New Israeli Partner as Internal Split Over Netanyahu Deepens

US President Donald Trump’s senior staff are preparing detailed plans to work with the Israeli political opposition if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu loses the election scheduled for October 27. Officials told Axios that advisers see an opportunity to engage with the leading opposition bloc, a move that signals a potential shift in Washington’s approach to Jerusalem regardless of the final vote count.

The endorsement of Netanyahu has created friction within the White House. One senior adviser described the Prime Minister as the devil Trump knows, noting that many of the president's closest counselors opposed the decision to back him. These officials argued that the United States should have stayed out of the Israeli contest entirely to avoid complicating the domestic debate.

Vice President JD Vance attempted to distance himself from the President’s stance during a press interaction this week. Vance stated that he was neither attacking nor endorsing the Prime Minister, adding that the president’s endorsement is what matters. His comments suggested a willingness to let the President’s position define the administration’s public line while his own team hedges its bets.

Tensions over policy have also surfaced in regional diplomacy. US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack criticized the Netanyahu government’s recent military actions in Syria. Following Israeli strikes on a base in the northern Idlib province, Barrack called the move an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability, a view that contrasts with the general support for Israeli security operations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team maintain a closer relationship with the Prime Minister but have voiced specific frustrations. They believe Israel could do more to strengthen the Lebanese government and have expressed dissatisfaction with what they see as a failure to curb settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. These grievances highlight the differing priorities within the administration’s foreign policy ranks.

The internal maneuvering comes as polling data suggests Netanyahu’s position is weakening. A new Maariv survey shows the opposition bloc holding a lead of 54 seats to Netanyahu’s 48. In a direct matchup for the premiership, former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, referred to in the poll as Eisenkot, leads the incumbent with 49 percent support against 41 percent.

If the October 27 vote fails to produce a clear majority, the majority of respondents, 60 percent, favor a unity government. Among those supporters, 33 percent want a candidate from the opposition to lead, while 19 percent prefer Netanyahu. The remaining 23 percent of all respondents would rather see another election, and 17 percent remain undecided.