Donald Trump reportedly shouted and cursed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Monday, after Israel threatened to resume airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs. According to Axios, the US president exclaimed, “What the fuck are you doing?” and told Netanyahu, “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.”
The call came after Iran announced it would suspend peace talks with the US over Israel’s campaign in southern Lebanon, effectively freezing negotiations that Trump had claimed were nearing a preliminary deal. Tehran insisted that Lebanon should be covered by a ceasefire agreement meant to facilitate talks on opening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting a US blockade of Iranian ports.
Israeli news network Channel 12 contested the details of the call, with chief political analyst Amit Segal stating that Trump did not attack Netanyahu personally and that the two agreed Netanyahu would refrain from attacking Beirut suburbs if Hezbollah ceased its attacks on Israel. The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu has been strained in the past, despite Israel remaining a key US ally.
The incident has sparked political backlash in the UK, where critics have condemned Trump’s language and the potential impact on Middle East stability. Pro-Israel allies in the US have urged a stronger stance against Iran, while others seek a rapid end to the conflict to mitigate economic damage ahead of the US mid-term elections in November.
