Several senior advisers to US President Donald Trump believe an Israeli government without Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be easier to work with on regional priorities, despite Trump's public endorsement of the Israeli leader ahead of Tuesday's election, Axios reported on Saturday.
The report said dissatisfaction with Netanyahu has grown within Trump's inner circle over the past six months, particularly following the war with Iran and disagreements over Washington's broader Middle East agenda.
Vice President JD Vance is among senior officials who have become disillusioned with Netanyahu, with concerns that the Israeli premier's pre-war assessments to the White House were mistaken.
Vance declined to endorse Netanyahu when questioned about the election, saying Trump's position was what mattered.
Other senior officials have also raised concerns over Israel's policies in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and the occupied West Bank, including 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 over delays in implementing the Gaza plan, while envoy Tom Barrack has concerns about Israeli military operations in Syria. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's team believes Israel could do more to strengthen Lebanon's government.
Despite the tensions, Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday, suggesting his defeat could have consequences for US-Israel relations.
Some advisers are said to believe a new Israeli government without Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners could offer Washington greater flexibility in pursuing diplomatic agreements across the region.
