President Donald Trump unleashed a blistering, expletive-laden rebuke of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon, pressing him to halt a planned strike on Beirut, according to Axios.
The Monday phone call came hours after Iran threatened to abandon negotiations with Washington in response to Israel’s actions in Lebanon. On the call, Trump called Netanyahu “crazy” and accused him of ingratitude, the U.S. news outlet said citing three sources briefed on the call.
“You’re f****** crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your a**. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,” one U.S. official quoted Trump as telling Netanyahu. A second source said Trump was “pissed” and at one point shouted, “What the f*** are you doing?”
One U.S. official said Trump warned that following through on Netanyahu’s threats to bomb the Lebanese capital would further isolate Israel internationally. Two of the sources said Trump claimed he had helped keep Netanyahu out of jail, referring to his support during Netanyahu’s corruption trial.
U.S. officials said Trump was aware Hezbollah had been firing on Israel and believed Israel had a right to defend itself, but felt Netanyahu’s recent actions were disproportionate. In addition to threatening strikes on Beirut, Israel has been expanding its ground invasion in southern Lebanon.
