Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, said he hopes the Trump administration can work with whichever party controls Congress.

Israel's "Yashar" party leader Eisenkot said any Knesset member who endorses the principles he set out before the election may join the government. He said he will immediately seek a parliamentary majority to repeal the reform bill and expand civil service headcount.

At the Manama Dialogue security meeting in Bahrain, Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Shibani said discussions are underway to assess Syria joining the Mecca alliance — the joint defense agreement Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed in August. He said defending Gulf Arab states is vital to Syria’s security and that Syria will stand with all Gulf states, adding they face threats from cross‑border militia groups. Shibani gave no detail on whether support might include sending troops to Yemen; Damascus has previously denied reports Riyadh asked for Syrian deployments.