U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly confronted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a heated phone call following Israeli strikes in Lebanon, with tensions centered on fears that the escalation could destabilize wider regional negotiations, according to Axios.
Sources familiar with the conversation said Trump expressed strong anger over Israel’s recent military actions and warned Netanyahu that continued escalation, particularly against Beirut, risked isolating Israel internationally. According to the reports, Trump also accused the Israeli leader of undermining diplomatic efforts linked to ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations.
During the call, Trump reportedly used unusually blunt language. One source said he 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.” Another official described Trump as visibly frustrated, at one point shouting, “What the fuck are you doing?”
Despite the confrontation, sources said Trump acknowledged Israel’s security concerns and the right to respond to Hezbollah attacks. However, he argued that the scale of Israel’s recent military response in Lebanon had gone too far and risked wider escalation.
