Trump criticizes Netanyahu amid push for Iran peace deal
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President Donald Trump publicly rebuked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over recent actions in Lebanon as the United States seeks to finalize a deal to end the war with Iran.
President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he was dissatisfied with the Israeli leader's recent moves in Lebanon, saying the United States was essential to Israel's existence and urging Netanyahu to act more responsibly. Trump made the remarks at the G7 summit in France, noting that an agreement to end the war with Iran is slated for signing on Friday at a resort near Luzern.
The comments mark an unprecedented public clash between the two leaders, with Trump claiming credit for Israel's survival and describing Netanyahu as “crazy.” The tension arises as Trump pushes for a deal with Tehran while domestic criticism of the war has grown, partly due to rising fuel prices.
"If Netanyahu gets in between something Trump really wants, and that’s out of this war, he’s prepared to use the leverage that he has," said Aaron David Miller, a former senior adviser on Middle-East policy.
Trump's remarks drew criticism from several Jewish and political groups. Halie Soifer of the Jewish Democratic Council of America said the president was framing Israel’s existence as dependent on him, a view she called offensive. Conservative pro-Israel voices were divided; Matt Brooks of the Republican Jewish Coalition dismissed the criticism as a normal family dispute, while Mort Klein of the Zionist Organization of America warned that Trump’s public rebuke could be aimed at a growing anti-Israel sentiment in the United States.
The episode highlights a shift in the traditionally bipartisan U.S. support for Israel, with both Democratic and Republican leaders navigating a more contentious political environment surrounding the conflict in Gaza and broader Middle-East policy.