Trump advisers see an Israeli government without Netanyahu as easier on regional priorities, despite the president’s election endorsement

Several senior advisers to U.S. President Donald Trump believe an Israeli government without Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be easier for Washington to work with on regional priorities, Axios reported. The report came ahead of Tuesday’s election, despite Trump’s public endorsement of Netanyahu.

Axios reported that dissatisfaction with Netanyahu has grown within Trump’s inner circle over the past six months, particularly after the war with Iran and amid disagreements over Washington’s broader Middle East agenda. Vice President J.D. Vance is among the officials said to have become disillusioned with Netanyahu, with concerns that the Israeli leader’s pre-war assessments to the White House were mistaken. Asked about the election, Vance declined to endorse Netanyahu and said Trump’s position was what mattered.

Other senior officials have raised concerns about Israel’s policies in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and the occupied West Bank. They include Netanyahu’s reluctance to advance Trump’s Gaza peace plan and curb settler attacks against Palestinians.

Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have expressed frustration with delays in implementing the Gaza plan. Envoy Tom Barrack has concerns about Israeli military operations in Syria, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s team believes Israel could do more to strengthen Lebanon’s government.

Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday and suggested that his defeat could have consequences for U.S.-Israel relations. Some advisers reportedly believe a new Israeli government without Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners could give Washington greater flexibility in pursuing diplomatic agreements across the region.