President Trump confirmed Wednesday that he unleashed a sharp, expletive-filled rebuke at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Monday phone call centered on the fighting in Lebanon, according to reporting from Axios and Trump's own statements on a podcast.
Speaking on the New York Post podcast, Trump acknowledged calling Netanyahu "fucking crazy" and telling him he would be in prison without Trump's support. "I did," Trump said when asked directly about the language. He characterized his tone as more frustrated than angry, citing Netanyahu's repeated military moves against Lebanon. "At some point I said, 'Bibi, we've got to stop this. We gotta stop it,'" Trump recounted.
U.S. officials who were briefed on the call painted a picture of Trump at his most forceful. One official summarized Trump's words to Netanyahu as a series of sharp warnings: "You're fucking crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this." A second source said Trump yelled at Netanyahu, demanding "What the fuck are you doing?"
The confrontation reflected growing friction between the two leaders, particularly over Israel's military escalation in the region and concerns about wider conflict with Iran. The call came after Tehran threatened to pull back from ongoing negotiations with the U.S., citing Israel's actions in Lebanon as a breaking point. Trump reportedly ordered Netanyahu to scrap plans to bomb Beirut, warning that such a strike would deepen Israel's international isolation.
Trump tempered his criticism by insisting he maintains a strong relationship with Netanyahu and has historically worked well with him. Yet his willingness to confirm the harsh language and the fact that Netanyahu abandoned the Beirut bombing plan after the call underscores the unusual leverage Trump wielded in the exchange.
Following the conversation, Trump announced a new ceasefire initiative, signaling a shift in his approach to the Lebanon situation. The move marked a sharp departure from his earlier posture of backing Israeli military action without public pushback, and it suggests Netanyahu's regional moves had triggered a genuine break point in their working relationship.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump going public with profanities and leverage over Netanyahu is a stunning reversal that tells you how badly Israel's Lebanon gambit rattled the incoming administration."
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