The ongoing conflict in Iran has apparently strained the relationship between President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with evidence of that strain being present in a phone call between the two leaders that was filled with tension and expletives.
According to reports, which cited two American officials and a third source close to the conversation, Trump ripped Netanyahu in what one official termed was one of the worst calls between the two since Trump’s return to office.
The other official described Netanyahu as being “steamrolled” during the call.
“You’re f——g 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,” Trump reportedly yelled at Netanyahu, referring to his public support of the prime minister during his trial for corruption.
Another of the American officials noted that Trump was “pissed” and yelled at Netanyahu, “What the f— are you doing?” Trump has been irate as Iran walked away from negotiations on Monday (June 1) to end the fighting, citing Israel’s announced plans for further attacks in Lebanon against the Hezbollah terror organization.
Israel has been expanding its military operations in southern Lebanon since the U.S. initiated strikes against Iran, and had threatened direct strikes on the capital of Beirut. Trump expressed dismay over the mounting civilian casualties inflicted by the Israeli military and objected to one strike that leveled a building just to take out one Hezbollah commander.
Netanyahu would promise in a statement after the call that operations in southern Lebanon would continue, but that Israel wouldn’t attack Beirut unless Hezbollah struck Israel again. “Our position remains the same,” the prime minister wrote. In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared that talks with Iran were “continuing, at a rapid pace.”
Iran has demanded that Israel cease attacking Lebanon entirely as one of its conditions to stop fighting with Israel and the U.S. The United Nations Security Council has called on both nations to end the fighting, which began Feb. 28.
