Netanyahu’s Push for War Leaves Him Isolated as Trump Seeks Exit Deal with Iran

Donald Trump’s latest call with Benjamin Netanyahu came after he publicly informed the world that a deal with Iran was imminent. According to the article, Trump told Netanyahu on Friday that he would sign an agreement and that it would be good for everyone, while ignoring Israel’s main concerns, especially the removal of 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, enough, the piece says, for 11 nuclear bombs. Netanyahu stayed silent, fearing another shouted phone call and fresh leaks to the press.

The article says Trump’s treatment of Netanyahu has turned harsh in recent weeks, including a screaming match about two weeks ago in which Trump allegedly told him, “Everyone hates you,” “Everyone hates Israel because of what is happening,” “Without me you would be in prison,” “Ungrateful,” and “I saved your ass.” Trump also warned that if Israel did not stop the fighting and continued striking Beirut, it would be left alone against Iran.

The writer argues that Trump’s hostility reflects resentment over being dragged into war. Before the U.S. entered the conflict with Iran on February 28 this year, Netanyahu reportedly pressed Trump relentlessly, arguing that a decisive strike would destabilize the Islamic Republic and bring down the regime within days or weeks. Netanyahu even brought former Mossad chief David Barnea into a White House Situation Room meeting to brief Trump on what Mossad and the CIA would do. Most of Trump’s top aides opposed the plan, calling it “bullshit,” and Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly led the resistance, but Trump was drawn to the chance to succeed where Barack Obama and Joe Biden had failed.

The war then became more difficult than Trump expected. Iran resisted, reportedly killed more than 30,000 of its own citizens in days, threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz and disrupt the global economy, and attacked U.S. allies including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Trump now wants to end the war, sign a deal, and leave the region, while Iran remains defiant and reluctant to sign despite pressure from Pakistan. He posted that the agreement would be signed on Saturday and that Hormuz would reopen, adding that the United States would one day collect and destroy Iran’s enriched uranium. Israeli officials described the expected deal in harsh terms, calling it very bad, terrible and even “shit,” while Netanyahu stayed out of sight ahead of elections in four months.