Trump, Netanyahu and the Strain Behind the Public Rift

Tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump have reached a new high as criticism of Israel from the White House grows, amid a developing agreement with Iran and continued friction with Hezbollah. Although Netanyahu insists the two are fully aligned, Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance have been sharply critical of Israel’s conduct, especially in Lebanon, raising doubts about how much of the relationship can be repaired.

The article says the turning point came after Operation “Enduring Darkness,” launched in the wake of the ceasefire with Iran on April 8, when a nighttime strike killed many Hezbollah and Radwan Force fighters but also led to reports of 300 civilian deaths in Lebanon. Days later, an incident involving the removal of a cross in a village drew complaints not only from the Vatican, but also over harm to civilians and Christians. The White House now sees Israel, in the words of former Israeli consul in New York Assi Shiber, as having become “a bit of a loser in this event,” after making big promises and not delivering.

In a new book by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, Trump is said to have told an aide that Netanyahu is a “Con Man,” one of the harshest labels in the president’s vocabulary. The book also describes Trump’s hesitation before deciding to go to war with Iran, alongside his mixed feelings about Israel’s pager operation. Prof. Udi Sommer of Tel Aviv University said Trump’s private language does not stay private for long, and argued that the US understands Israeli politics well enough to know Netanyahu has alternatives.

Shiber warned Netanyahu to keep the dispute quiet, saying that public confrontation could worsen matters and that attacking Netanyahu helps Trump politically because Netanyahu is now seen as toxic in the US and worldwide. The article also notes Qatar’s role in the broader regional picture, including a recent gift of a new jumbo jet to Trump, and says Washington’s priority may be avoiding another Afghanistan or Iraq, even at the cost of a faster end to the war. It compares the current strain to the earlier crisis between George W. Bush and Ariel Sharon, which eventually eased, and closes by recalling Netanyahu’s own line: “When possible I say yes. But when necessary, I say no.”