US President Donald Trump admitted to calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “effing crazy” during a heated phone call over Lebanon’s conflict. The exchange occurred while the US was negotiating an end to hostilities with Iran.
Trump told the “Pod Force One” podcast that he was “a little bit perturbed” at Netanyahu’s constant fighting in Lebanon, which Trump said was undermining efforts to negotiate with Iran. Despite this tension, Trump stated that he and Netanyahu get along very well.
The Axios report cited an unidentified US official who said Trump told Netanyahu on Monday: “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.” Trump also said he urged Netanyahu to stop the fighting.
Iran has stated that it will not agree to a deal with the US to end the war unless a ceasefire also covers Lebanon, where Israel invaded in March to combat the Iran-aligned Hezbollah militia. Despite a US-mediated agreement on Monday that led Israel to step back from attacking Hezbollah-controlled areas of Beirut, hostilities have continued. Israeli drone strikes killed at least six people in southern Lebanon and targeted a car just south of Beirut on Wednesday.
Trump was asked if Netanyahu “tricked” him into attacking Iran, responding that his critics were the enemy. He has used expletives about Israel before, including publicly stating last year that Israel and Iran “don’t know what the fuck they are doing.”