Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his bond with President Donald Trump rests on more than politics — it’s personal, too. In an interview with Mark Levin on “Life, Liberty & Levin,” Netanyahu praised Trump’s “wicked sense of humor” and said the two leaders’ partnership has kept both nations safer.
“I always recognize he’s the president of the United States, he does what he thinks is good for the United States. And that’s exactly what he does. I do the same for Israel,” Netanyahu told Levin. “And I’m glad that it often, very often, this meshes.”
Netanyahu said the relationship goes beyond shared strategic interests, describing Trump as warm and funny in private.
“Our rapport not only comes from knowing each other for so many years, it’s also from understanding that we face a common danger and that we have to protect our common future. And that’s really it,” Netanyahu said. “Aside from the fact it’s fun being with him, I mean, I don’t know. Most people don’t know that he has a wicked sense of humor. I mean, he can be very funny and very warm. And so, I treasure this relationship.”
The comments come as Israel prepares for its first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks and the conflicts that followed. Voters head to the polls Oct. 27. Asked about his political future, Netanyahu made clear he isn’t taking anything for granted.
“First, I have to get elected,” he said. “And by the way, I fight every campaign as though I’m going to lose, and that’s the only reason I win. But I have to fight it in the coming week, and I will.”
He added that, if re-elected, the U.S.-Israel partnership would keep paying dividends. “God willing, if I’m elected, then this partnership will continue to bring security and bring peace,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister and has worked alongside Trump through both of his presidential terms. The alliance hasn’t been without tension. Earlier this year, Trump confirmed he told Netanyahu he was “f—ing crazy” during a heated phone call over Israeli military operations in Lebanon — while also saying he “really loves Bibi” and works with him “excellently.” Netanyahu later downplayed the dispute on CNBC as a “tactical disagreement,” the kind that happens “in the best of families.”
The full interview airs Saturday, Oct. 17, at 8 p.m. ET on “Life, Liberty & Levin.”
