"You're crazy, you'd be in jail if it weren't for me"/ Tensions in Trump-Netanyahu phone call

2026-06-02 09:21:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

"You're crazy, you'd be in jail if it weren't for me"/

President Trump sharply attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Israel's escalation of the situation in Lebanon in a call filled with insults on Monday, two US officials and a third source briefed on the call told Axios.

Earlier on Monday, Iran threatened to walk away from negotiations with the United States over Israel's actions in Lebanon. During the call, Trump called Netanyahu "crazy" and accused him of ingratitude, according to two sources. He also put the brakes on Israel's plan to attack Beirut.

A US official said Trump told Netanyahu that carrying out his threats to bomb the Lebanese capital would further isolate Israel around the world.

Two of the sources said Trump claimed to have helped Netanyahu stay out of prison, a reference to his support during Netanyahu's corruption trial.

Summing up Trump's remarks to Netanyahu, the US official said: "You're crazy. You'd be in jail if it weren't for me. I'm getting you out of this. Everyone hates you now. Everyone hates Israel because of this."

A second source briefed on the call said Trump was "angry" and at one point shouted at Netanyahu: "What the hell are you doing?"

The US official said Trump knew Hezbollah had fired on Israel and that Israel needed to defend itself, but felt in recent days that Netanyahu was escalating in a disproportionate manner. In addition to the threats to Beirut, Israel has expanded its ground operation in southern Lebanon. Another US official said Trump was concerned that Israel had killed so many civilians in Lebanon and objected to the Israelis demolishing buildings to kill a single Hezbollah commander.

Israel no longer plans to attack Hezbollah targets in Beirut, an Israeli official told Axios.

Trump and Netanyahu have had some tense phone calls in the past but have coordinated closely on Iran and other issues. One official said this was one of Trump's worst calls with Netanyahu since he returned to office.

Trump's anger appeared to have been fueled by the fact that Netanyahu's decision to escalate the situation in Lebanon was threatening to derail his negotiations with Iran.

After the call, Trump posted on Truth Social that talks with Iran were "continuing, at a rapid pace."

The other side: Netanyahu issued a statement after the call saying he had told Trump that Israel would attack targets in Beirut if Hezbollah did not stop attacking Israel and that in the meantime Israel would continue its operations in southern Lebanon.

"Our position remains the same," Netanyahu wrote.

The second US official claimed that, in reality, Trump had “disappointed” Netanyahu during the call. “Bibi said, ‘Okay, okay, just make sure everything is sorted out,’” according to the official.