Donald Trump lashed out at Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call over Israel’s strikes in Lebanon. The expletive-filled exchange threatened to derail US-led nuclear talks with Iran. The president accused the Israeli prime minister of jeopardising delicate diplomatic efforts after Iran suspended negotiations in protest at the escalating military campaign.
Donald Trump reportedly lashed out at Benjamin Netanyahu on call
Two US officials and a third source briefed on the call described the conversation to Axios as one of the most hostile encounters between the two leaders since Donald Trump returned to office.
“You’re f***ing crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your a**. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.” A second source claimed Trump was angry and shouted at Netanyahu during the call, demanding, “What the f*** are you doing?” The president reportedly claimed he had played an important role in shielding Netanyahu from political and legal troubles, including the prime minister’s ongoing corruption trial.
Washington’s frustration is about what Trump viewed as disproportionate Israeli force in Lebanon. While the president acknowledged that Hezbollah had fired on Israel and that the country needed to defend itself, he took issue with operations that brought down entire buildings to eliminate Hezbollah commanders. The mounting civilian death toll in Lebanon had become a serious concern for the White House.
Trump reportedly told Netanyahu that bombing the Lebanese capital would isolate Israel further. Following the call, an Israeli official alleged that those strike plans had been shelved.
Moreover, the immediate trigger for the confrontation was Iran’s decision to abandon negotiations with Washington, a move Tehran made in response to Israel’s intensifying campaign in Lebanon. The memorandum under discussion between the US and Iran calls for an end to the fighting in Lebanon. This same issue had caused tension on a previous call between the two leaders.
Later, Trump spoke with both Netanyahu and Hezbollah representatives before announcing that the two sides would no longer attack each other. However, the Israeli prime minister said he had made clear to Trump that they would strike if Hezbollah attacks continued.
