US President Donald Trump voiced frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a series of private phone calls in recent weeks, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday.
The report said the conversations became increasingly tense as Trump pushed for a diplomatic arrangement with Iran while Netanyahu repeatedly argued for a tougher approach and warned against trusting Iranian commitments.
According to the report, one point of contention involved Israeli military activity in Lebanon. During one conversation, Trump reportedly told Netanyahu, “Stop targeting buildings," reflecting growing irritation over Israeli actions despite a ceasefire.
In other calls, Trump expressed concern that the conflict with Iran could have economic repercussions for the United States. The report said he became increasingly focused on the potential costs of a prolonged confrontation and was less receptive to arguments for additional military action.
According to the report, Trump told advisers thatNetanyahu frequently pressed for further operations. According to a person who heard the remarks, Trump complained that no one could handle Netanyahu and said that the Israeli leader “wants to bomb everyone."
A senior administration official quoted in the report said many of their discussions followed a similar pattern, with Netanyahu presenting reasons for additional action and Trump listening to those arguments.
During talks about a possible agreement with Iran, Netanyahu reportedly challenged the idea that Tehran could be trusted to comply with any deal. He questioned how the United States would verify Iranian compliance and pointed to Iran’s past conduct as a reason for skepticism.
Trump has also said that Netanyahu “asks for permission" and described the relationship between the two countries as one in which the United States is the larger partner.
According to the report, Trump has recently sought additional confirmation from members of his administration regarding information presented by Netanyahu during their discussions.
The report stated that Israeli officials were surprised by a ceasefire announcement and had believed Trump was more likely to support additional military action than a negotiated agreement.
The Wall Street Journal also claimed that some administration officials have questioned whether Netanyahu sought to prolong the conflict with Iran for political reasons. The Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to a request for comment, according to the report.
Despite the disagreements, the two leaders have remained in frequent contact. Netanyahu has met Trump multiple times during his current term and has continued to emphasize the close relationship between the two governments.
Trump initially supported military operations against Iran and closely followed developments during the campaign. However, as the conflict continued, he became more skeptical of some Israeli proposals and remained interested in pursuing a diplomatic resolution.