What Do the Polls Actually Say?
During the conversation, Trump discussed his relationship with Israel and claimed that his popularity among Israelis was exceptionally high. He even suggested that his approval rating in the country had reached an extraordinary 99 percent. “If people ever got tired of me in the U. S. , I’ll move to Israel and become prime minister,”
Trump said. The president also described his alleged popularity as unmatched by any political leader in history. However, he did not identify a specific survey or provide independently verifiable evidence supporting the 99 percent figure. Although Trump enjoys considerable support among segments of the Israeli population, available polling offers a more complicated picture. A June
2026 survey conducted by Pew Research Center found that 66 percent of Israeli adults expressed confidence in Trump to do the right thing regarding international affairs. That figure measures confidence in his handling of world affairs rather than overall job approval, making it different from the statistic Trump cited. Nevertheless, it provides a more measurable
indication of his standing among Israeli respondents. Trump previously made a similar joke in May 2026, suggesting that he could pursue Israel’s highest political office after completing his presidency in Washington.
Could Trump Actually Become Israel’s Prime Minister?
Beyond the humor, there are significant legal and political obstacles to such a possibility. Israel operates under a parliamentary system in which the prime minister emerges through the country’s political and legislative process. Eligibility for election to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, requires Israeli citizenship and meeting additional legal requirements. Consequently, claiming widespread popularity would not
automatically qualify Trump to become prime minister. Trump’s comments also came during a discussion about America’s financial relationship with Israel. He indicated that his administration intended to end approximately $4 billion in annual military assistance, arguing that Israel had become economically capable of supporting itself. The announcement raised questions about the future of the two
countries’ military relationship. For now, Trump’s suggestion about becoming Israel’s prime minister remains a political joke rather than an announced plan. His remarks nevertheless generated attention because they combined his claims of international popularity with questions about the future of U. S. -Israeli relations.
