President Donald Trump confirmed he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "crazy" during a telephone conversation on Monday [1, 2].
The exchange signals a significant rupture in the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and Israel, specifically regarding the management of regional conflicts.
Trump said he used an expletive during the call to describe the Israeli leader [2, 3]. The president said, "He's f***ing crazy" [2]. He said to reporters that he was "perturbed" by the nature of the conversation [1].
The tension stems from the ongoing military actions involving Lebanon. Trump said Netanyahu was "constantly fighting with Lebanon" [3]. The president said that this persistent escalation was a primary driver of his frustration [1, 2].
According to Trump, the fighting in Lebanon was not only a point of contention but also a strategic hindrance. He said he wanted to stop the escalation because it was affecting U.S. negotiations with Iran [1, 2, 4].
Trump described the call as an attempt to address these regional instabilities. He said, "I said Bibi, we gotta stop this" [4]. The conversation took place between the White House and the Israeli Prime Minister's office [1, 2].
“"He's f***ing crazy."”
This public admission of a volatile exchange suggests that the US administration is prioritizing the stabilization of Lebanon to protect its broader diplomatic goals with Iran. By criticizing Netanyahu's military strategy in such blunt terms, Trump is signaling a shift toward a more transactional and demanding approach to the US-Israel alliance, where regional stability is weighed against unconditional support.
