US President Donald Trump reportedly fumed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Representative photo. Reuters.
US President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning to discuss a ceasefire in Lebanon. During the call, Trump became extremely angry with Netanyahu and used foul languages against him.
The influential Virginia-based news outlet Axios reported, citing a Trump administration official familiar with the matter.
The official claimed that Trump called Netanyahu "completely crazy" during the phone conversation.
Axios cited a US official who summarized Trump’s message to Netanyahu where some expletive words were used.
Two of the sources also said Trump accused Netanyahu of ingratitude during the call on the escalation in fighting in Lebanon, a conversation that Axios described as “expletive-laden.”
While US officials told the news site that Trump was aware Hezbollah has been firing repeatedly at Israel and that Jerusalem has a right to respond, they said he believed the Israel Defense Forces had responded disproportionately in recent days, risking Washington’s efforts to secure a ceasefire extension with Iran, which is conditioning a deal on a truce in Lebanon.
Trump “steamrolled” Netanyahu on the call, a US official told Axios, and “Bibi said, ‘OK, OK, just make sure everything is taken care of.”
US officials were also quoted as saying Trump told Netanyahu that he has kept him out of prison, an apparent reference to Trump’s repeated public demand that Israeli President Isaac Herzog pardon the prime minister, who is in the midst of a lengthy corruption trial.
Netanyahu’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the report.
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump wrote that he had a “very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no troops going to Beirut, and any troops that are on their way, have already been turned back.”
“He turned his Troops around. Thank you Bibi!” Trump said, describing Israel’s attack plans as “a major raid of Beirut.”
Israeli military sources said no troops had been en route to Beirut, contrary to Trump’s claim. (Source: Times of Israel)
