US President Donald Trump allegedly did not hold any punches when talking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo / Getty Images
Israel has cancelled air strikes on Lebanon at the request of Donald Trump, but sources say the US President did not ask nicely.
Trump phoned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Iran walked away from peace talks and said it would return only if Israel ceased its attacks on Lebanon and Gaza.
Trump allegedly called Netanyahu “crazy” and accused him of being ungrateful in a reportedly foul-mouthed call.
One US official told Axios Trump told Netanyahu following through on his plans to bomb Lebanon would further isolate Israel on the global stage.
Two sources said Trump claimed he had helped keep the Israeli Prime Minister out of jail - a reference to Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial.
Summarising Trump’s remarks, a Washington official said: “You’re f***ing 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.”
A second source briefed on the call said Trump was “p***ed” and at one point yelled at Netanyahu: “What the f*** are you doing?”
Trump announced after the call: “There will be no troops going to Beirut, and any troops that are on their way have already been turned back.”
He later told ABC News he thought there would be a deal with Iran to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz “over the next week”.
Trump left out the expletives when he spoke about the call on Truth Social, saying he’d had a “very productive” conversation with Netanyahu.
Trump posted: “Likewise, through highly placed representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop – That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel.”
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