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On Election Day, President Donald Trump made a surprising on-air remark: if Americans tire of him, he joked he might leave the country and move to Israel to pursue a political role there. The comment came during a phone interview as votes were being cast, and it set off debate about his standing at home and his relationship with one of the U.S.’s closest allies.
Trump’s on-air quip about relocating to Israel and seeking office there
During a live call-in to a morning cable show, the president suggested he would relocate if his domestic popularity faded. He framed the comment as a lighthearted ultimatum about public favor, but it also carried a political edge.
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He said he would “move to Israel and become prime minister” if Americans ever tired of him. The remark was delivered with bravado and followed claims about his support abroad.
What he told the studio
- He characterized his approval as near-universal overseas.
- He boasted of high personal popularity in the region.
- The remark came while he was monitoring election coverage.
Public opinion numbers that tell a different story
Independent national polling shows Trump facing low approval at home. A recent CNN poll, conducted in mid- to late October, found sizeable public disapproval.
- Disapproval stood at about 64 percent in that survey.
- Overall approval was roughly 34 percent.
- Only a handful of states register a net positive view.
According to state-level figures reported around the same period, just nine states still showed more voters approving than disapproving. Those include Wyoming, North Dakota and Arkansas.
These numbers contrast sharply with the president’s claim of near-total approval.
Claims about ending U.S. military aid to Israel
In the same interview, the president said the United States will stop providing military assistance to Israel. He argued the country no longer needs the support.
The U.S. currently provides roughly $4 billion a year in military aid to Israel. That funding has been central to Washington’s long-term security ties with Jerusalem.
Details of Trump’s assertions
- He said he and Israel’s leader had agreed to halt funding.
- He mentioned the Iron Dome missile-defense system as part of the aid package.
- He claimed the money would be “cut off at the end of the year.”
These declarations have not been backed by formal policy moves or official State Department notices. The White House has not released documentation to confirm a binding agreement.
Netanyahu and international reaction
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had not publicly confirmed the claimed deal at the time. Netanyahu has not issued a statement responding to the president’s announcement.
Diplomatic observers noted such a unilateral shift would carry strategic and political consequences. Cutting longstanding aid to an ally would require legal and budgetary steps.
Election-day context and political stakes
The remarks landed on a day when control of Congress was at stake. Midterm results could reshape the legislative calendar and influence the president’s agenda.
- Democrats were aiming to flip one or both chambers.
- Results in several battleground states held the key.
- High-profile comments from the president can sway media narratives.
With ballots still being counted across time zones, the president’s statements became part of the broader election conversation.
Social media outburst over a television guest
Earlier the same day, the president criticized a television commentator on his social platform. He said the guest’s voice was grating and announced he would change the channel until the segment ended.
The target of the remark, a regular commentator on the network, responded through the usual channels later, while the episode added a tabloid-like element to election coverage.
The president posted the criticism on his own social network during live election coverage.
