US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday during an undisclosed visit to Israel, according to a report citing two people with knowledge of the matter. The meeting took place days before a parliamentary election in which the veteran leader faces a tight contest.
The visit could not be immediately confirmed independently. The Pentagon and Israel’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and there was no immediate indication of what the two men discussed.
Trump endorses Netanyahu before the vote
President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday on his Truth Social platform ahead of next week’s vote, the first since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023 and the start of Israel’s campaign in Gaza. Trump described the prime minister as an ally in the US war on Iran and gave him a “Complete and Total Endorsement.”
Opinion polls suggest Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition is set to lose its governing majority, although the opposition may also struggle to form a government.
Vance stays neutral on Israeli election
Vice President JD Vance declined to back Netanyahu in an interview earlier on Monday. Vance, who travelled to Budapest and endorsed Viktor Orban in Hungarian elections earlier this year, said his focus was elsewhere.
“I endorse American candidates, and that’s where I’m focused on is the midterms,” he said. He added: “I’m not anti-endorsing him, but I’m not pro-endorsing him; I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections.”
