President Donald Trump delivered unusually blunt praise for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that Israel’s survival during its most dangerous period depended on having the right leader in office.

Trump described Netanyahu as a wartime prime minister who led Israel through trauma and existential threats. “He’s a war-time prime minister, he’s done a phenomenal job. He’s taken Israel through a very dangerous period of trauma,” Trump said. He added that under different leadership, Israel might not have survived: “Israel, with other people, might not exist right now.”

Reinforcing the point, Trump stated, “If you had the wrong prime minister, Israel right now would not exist,” while also highlighting their close cooperation. “We worked together and we were extremely victorious,” he said, framing their partnership as a key factor in Israel’s strength and success.