Trump Says He Can Rein In Netanyahu on Lebanon Escalation

In an interview with Axios published overnight Thursday into Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “good,” but added that “we need to keep him a little sane.” Asked whether he could stop Israel from escalating its attacks in Lebanon, Trump replied, “Yes. They respect me very much and they do what I say.”

Trump also said Netanyahu “worked with me very well” and stressed that the United States provides Israel with most of its military capabilities. “We are the ones who have the weapons, we are the ones who have all the capabilities, we are the ones who have the bombers,” he said. He added, “Without Donald Trump, Israel would have been slaughtered.”

The remarks came after a series of public and tense clashes between Trump and Netanyahu over the fighting in Lebanon. According to the report, Trump had sharply criticized Netanyahu in a phone call after Israel’s intention to widen strikes in Lebanon, called him “crazy,” and warned that further escalation could hurt Israel’s standing and derail negotiations with Iran. Trump also reportedly blocked a plan to strike in Beirut.

The day before the Axios interview, Trump called for “a full ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon.” He had also told Channel 12 that he was “very unhappy” with the Israeli strike in Beirut and claimed Netanyahu had “no f***ing judgment.”