Amidst the ongoing conflict with Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a harsh rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a telephone conversation. The U.S. President reportedly addressed his close ally, Netanyahu, as “crazy.” Trump also did not hold back from pointing out that Netanyahu has now become unpopular with everyone.
Just as the United States was pursuing negotiations to bring an end to the three-month-long conflict with Iran, the process appeared on the verge of collapse due to Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Against this backdrop, Trump spoke with the Israeli Prime Minister over the phone yesterday, Monday. Prior to this, Israel had announced that its military forces would further intensify operations in Lebanon—going so far as to conduct bombing raids in the southern suburbs of the capital, Beirut.
The U.S. news outlet Axios reported that Trump expressed intense anger toward Netanyahu during the phone call. Two U.S. officials and a source—all privy to the details of the conversation between the two leaders—told Axios that, during the exchange, Trump directly called Netanyahu “crazy.” He also reportedly labeled the Israeli Prime Minister “ungrateful.”
Citing these U.S. officials, Axios reported that Trump delivered his harsh criticisms to Netanyahu in a surprisingly soft tone. The U.S. President reportedly told the Israeli Prime Minister, “Now everyone hates you. Because of this [the war], everyone hates Israel as well.”
The Axios report further noted that, at one point during the conversation, Trump became visibly enraged; he reportedly ended up shouting at Netanyahu.
One U.S. official told Axios that Trump had spoken with Netanyahu over the phone several times since assuming office for his second term; however, this particular conversation was described as exceptionally “heated and bitter.”
CNN reported that, during the phone call, Trump reminded his Israeli ally that he had previously provided support to Netanyahu on a wide range of issues. Trump warned that if Israel continues its bombardment of Lebanon, it could become further isolated on the international stage.
The White House has not officially responded to the heated phone conversation between Trump and Netanyahu, details of which were published by Axios.
However, following his conversation with Netanyahu, Trump posted on Truth Social—the social media platform he owns. In his post, he described the phone call as “productive.” Trump asserted that Israel and Hezbollah would cease attacking one another, and that Israeli forces would not advance toward Beirut.
Subsequently, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement. It stated that if attacks by the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah continue from Lebanon, Israel will launch strikes against Beirut.
The statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office further added that Israel has not altered its stance on this matter, and that Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon will proceed in accordance with pre-announced plans.
