Trump Confirms He Called Netanyahu “Fucking Crazy” After Heated Call
After reports of a shouting match between the leaders, President Donald Trump confirmed in an interview on a U.S. podcast on Wednesday that he called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “fucking crazy” and told him that he “helped him get out of jail,” but added that they would work together as a “wartime president and wartime prime minister.” Trump also said, “I wouldn’t say I was angry, I was a little disturbed by the fact that he kept fighting in Lebanon. At one point I said, Bibi, we have to stop this.”
Trump added in the interview that Iran had agreed not to have nuclear weapons, and said he had heard that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was involved in the talks: “I’ll probably meet him at some point.” On the other hand, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that claims of progress in the contacts were “detached from reality,” and that Tehran had not responded to the American proposals and had frozen the exchange of documents until its conditions regarding Lebanon were met.
Netanyahu himself responded to the remarks in an interview with CNBC and said, “Sometimes there are tactical disagreements, but we resolve them. I agree with the president on many things, that Iran should not have nuclear weapons, to expand the circle of peace, we have common goals. We agree on most things. The president is the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House, he is interested in my trial, understands that Lebanon is captive to Hezbollah. Real leaders need to stand up to criticism and do what is right for the country, that is what I did, like Churchill.” On the talks with Iran, he said, “The Iranians always lie, it is important to make sure they dismantle the nuclear facilities. The president believes this should be done diplomatically, I am with him. If necessary, there will be a return to full fighting, we are ready, Iran must take that into account.”
Political sources told Channel 13 on Tuesday night that this was one of the toughest and most tense calls between the prime minister of Israel and the president of the United States since his election. In Netanyahu’s circle, by contrast, they insist that in this call “a new equation was created.” The stormy call between the leaders took place against the backdrop of Israeli threats to strike in the Dahieh district of Beirut.
The Axios website claimed that Trump sharply attacked Netanyahu, called him “crazy” and accused him of ingratitude. According to the report, Trump made clear to Netanyahu that he strongly opposed the Israeli plan to strike in Beirut out of concern for Israel’s global isolation, and also told him, “If not for me, you’d be in jail. I’m saving you. Everyone hates you now, and everyone hates Israel because of what you’re doing.” Another source familiar with the details described Trump as shouting at Netanyahu, “What the hell are you doing?”
Despite the vocal confrontation, Trump chose that same day to present the results of the call in a different light on his social network Truth, where he wrote that he had a “very good” conversation with Netanyahu, following which it was decided that military forces would not be sent to Beirut. The president added that he also had a “very good” conversation with Hezbollah, which agreed to stop the fire in an agreement that includes a mutual commitment to halt attacks.
And while the Iranians claim that the negotiations have been halted, and Tasnim reported that claims of progress in the contacts were “detached from reality,” President Trump said yesterday that the talks are continuing, and in a conversation with ABC he said he thinks he will reach an agreement with Tehran “during the coming week” on extending the ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Last night, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the bombing of an oil tanker that tried to break the American blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones at American targets in Bahrain and Kuwait. After the strike in the Persian Gulf, the Revolutionary Guards threatened: “We warned previously that in any case of aggression, the response will be harsher. We reiterate that undermining security in the Strait of Hormuz will carry heavy costs for the U.S. military.”
At this time, the negotiations are continuing through mediators, with the American expectation being to reach an agreement in the coming days. “U.S. forces disabled an oil tanker that was trying to head to an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf,” CENTCOM said in its statement. The tanker, flying the Venezuelan flag, crossed in international waters toward Kharg Island. According to the U.S. Central Command, the ship’s crew “ignored repeated warnings for 24 hours,” which led to a missile being fired at the vessel and its disabling.
