Chicago – June 03, 2026
President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he was “crazy” during a heated phone call about Israel’s military actions in Lebanon. The exchange, initially reported by Axios, included profanity and came as Trump sought to halt a planned Israeli airstrike on Beirut.
Trump told New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast he was “a little bit perturbed” by Netanyahu’s ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, which he said is holding back U.S.-mediated peace negotiations with Iran. “Bibi, we gotta stop this,” Trump recalled saying during the Monday call.
Despite the tension, Trump insisted his relationship with Netanyahu remains solid, calling them both “wartime leaders” who have “worked very well together”. Axios reported Trump told Netanyahu, “You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now because of this”.
The disagreement underscores growing friction as Trump pushes for a regional de-escalation while Netanyahu continues military operations against Iranian-backed militias in Lebanon.
