WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he used strong language during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after becoming frustrated over Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon.
The revelation follows a report by Axios earlier this week, which cited sources claiming Trump accused Netanyahu of acting recklessly and showing ingratitude during a heated conversation. According to the report, Trump told the Israeli premier that he was “crazy” and warned that Israel’s actions were damaging its standing internationally.
Speaking to journalist Miranda Devine on the Pod Force One podcast, Trump acknowledged using the expletive directed at Netanyahu but rejected suggestions that he was furious. Instead, he described himself as being “a little bit perturbed” by Israel’s continued military operations in Lebanon.
Trump said he eventually told Netanyahu that the fighting needed to stop, recalling that he had urged the Israeli leader to end the hostilities. Despite confirming the tense exchange, Trump insisted that the two leaders maintained a strong working relationship.
“I have a very good relationship,” Trump said, adding that he liked Netanyahu and had worked effectively with him over the years. He also noted that both leaders were operating under wartime conditions, describing himself as a wartime president and Netanyahu as a wartime prime minister.
Israeli officials have not publicly commented on the reported phone call. However, Israeli media outlets have cited sources seeking to downplay any disagreement between the two leaders.
Trump said his frustration stemmed from concerns that a wider Lebanon-Israel conflict could undermine broader regional peace efforts. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that a diplomatic agreement with Iran could still be reached in the near future.
During the interview, Trump was also asked about criticism suggesting that Netanyahu had drawn the United States into conflict with Iran. Rejecting the accusation, Trump said he had independently decided to confront Iran because, in his view, Tehran could not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
He argued that preventing Iran from obtaining such capabilities was also vital for Israel’s security, claiming the country would have been among the first targets if Iran had acquired a nuclear arsenal. Trump further asserted that his policies had been critical to Israel’s survival, citing his decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement.
The broader US-Iran confrontation remains frozen under a fragile ceasefire more than three months after American and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Efforts to maintain diplomatic momentum have become increasingly complicated by Israel’s expanding military operations in Lebanon.
Following Israeli strikes on Beirut earlier this week, Tehran accused both Israel and the United States of violating the ceasefire and announced the suspension of indirect negotiations with Washington. Iranian officials argued that the truce had effectively been breached on multiple fronts.
Initially dismissing Tehran’s announcement, Trump later sought to reassure Iran by intervening diplomatically. In addition to speaking with Netanyahu, he claimed to have communicated with Hezbollah through intermediaries in an effort to halt the fighting — a step that would mark an unprecedented move by a US president.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said there would be no deployment of troops to Beirut and claimed that any forces heading there had already been ordered back. He also stated that Hezbollah had agreed to stop attacking Israel.
Discussing the diplomatic track with Iran, Trump described the situation as “rapidly evolving” and expressed optimism about the prospects for a broader agreement. He said Iran had agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons and suggested that further positive developments could follow.
Since March, Trump has repeatedly stated that negotiations were close to producing a deal that could end hostilities and allow both sides to address unresolved issues, particularly the future of Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran continues to deny seeking nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes.
Trump also claimed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, had played a direct role in decisions to end the conflict. He said he would be open to meeting Khamenei in the future if circumstances permitted.
The US president repeated his assertion that Iranian military capabilities had been severely degraded during the conflict. He claimed Iran’s navy had been destroyed, its air force neutralised within days and much of its military infrastructure effectively eliminated.
Looking ahead, Trump said Washington would eventually have to decide whether to finalise a negotiated settlement with Tehran or pursue a more forceful alternative. While warning that the alternative would be unpleasant, he stressed that he preferred a diplomatic outcome on humanitarian grounds.
Asked whether military action would remain an option, Trump suggested that air strikes could be used if necessary but emphasised that deploying ground troops would not be required.
Trump also argued that an end to the Iran conflict would help lower fuel prices in the United States. He maintained that inflation was currently modest and said energy costs remained the primary factor affecting prices.
According to Trump, excluding gasoline and energy-related costs, inflation in the United States remained relatively low, reinforcing his belief that resolving tensions with Iran could provide additional economic benefits.