'Will move to Israel, become PM': Trump jokes on his approval ratings amid US midterms

US President Donald Trump has joked about moving to Israel and becoming its prime minister if Americans ever get tired of him, making the remark during a Fox News interview on Election Day. Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, the POTUS claimed he had a 99 per cent approval rating in Israel and suggested he could pursue a political career there if his popularity in the United States declined. "In fact, if people ever got tired of me in the US, I'll move to Israel, become prime minister," Trump said. According to TMZ, Trump made the remark while discussing the relationship between the United States and Israel. He also claimed to have the "highest approval rating of anybody in history", but did not provide any polling evidence to support the statement. His reported popularity in Israel stands in contrast to his approval rating at home. TMZ reported that Trump's US approval rating was 32 per cent, although it did not identify the poll behind the figure.

During the Fox News interview, Trump also praised Israel as an important American ally and spoke about his administration's actions against Iran. He announced that US would stop providing around $4 billion in annual assistance to Israel by the end of 2026. Fox News reported that Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had raised the idea of ending the assistance and that the two leaders had discussed it for several years. Trump argued that Israel no longer needed the financial support because of its economic strength. However, the announcement raises questions about the future of the existing US-Israel military assistance agreement, which provides around $3.8 billion annually through 2028, according to Fox News.

This is not the first time Trump has joked about becoming Israel's prime minister. According to TMZ, he made a similar remark in May, when he also claimed to enjoy 99 per cent support among Israelis. His latest comments came as Americans voted in the 2026 midterm elections on November 3. The elections will determine which party controls the US Congress, including the House of Representatives and the Senate. Trump's Republicans are defending their congressional majorities against the opposition Democrats. The results could shape the remainder of his presidency, including his domestic and foreign policy agenda. The 2026 US midterm elections will determine control of all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats. Republicans are entering the elections with a narrow 219-214 advantage in the House, while holding 53 of the Senate's 100 seats. Democrats need to gain just four net seats in the House and four in the Senate to take control of both chambers. The party that wins the House needs at least 218 seats, while a Senate majority requires 51 seats, or 50 if the vice-president can break a tie. The elections are crucial for Trump, as a Democratic takeover of either chamber could make it harder for him to pass legislation, while giving the opposition greater power to investigate his administration and challenge his policies.