Trump Rebukes Netanyahu Over Israeli Strikes in Lebanon
President Donald Trump reportedly confronted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a heated phone call regarding Israeli military actions in Beirut. The public revelation of the exchange has created political pressure for Netanyahu as he prepares for upcoming national elections.
Benjamin Netanyahu is struggling to maintain his public image as the primary manager of Donald Trump following a leaked, profane phone call. The U.S. president reportedly called Netanyahu "fucking crazy" during an acrimonious exchange this week that was later confirmed by Trump. The incident has damaged Netanyahu politically ahead of a national election he is polling to lose, highlighting diverging interests regarding Lebanon and Iran.
The call centered on Israeli threats to resume air strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs. Trump told Netanyahu that "everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this," according to reporting by Axios on the day after the conversation. Iran had warned that strikes in Lebanon risked derailing U.S.-brokered talks to end the war that began with joint U.S.-Israeli attacks in February and has become deeply unpopular among American voters.
