US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “f***ing crazy” during a Monday phone call, while insisting the two leaders continue to maintain a strong working relationship, according to an interview published in The New York Post.
Trump made the remarks in an exclusive “Pod Force One” interview with The Post’s Miranda Devine, acknowledging he was frustrated over Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon, which he said was complicating broader diplomatic efforts linked to Iran negotiations.
“I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon,” Trump said in the interview.
He, however, stressed that his personal rapport with Netanyahu remained intact, saying, “We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him.”
The admission confirms earlier reports that Trump used expletive-laden language during the call, including calling Netanyahu “f***ing crazy” amid tensions over Israel’s operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Netanyahu downplays reported rift with Trump
Netanyahu, meanwhile, sought to play down reports of tensions with Trump, insisting that both leaders remain aligned on key regional objectives despite tactical disagreements.
In an interview with CNBC, the Israeli PM said he and Trump shared the goal of disarming Hezbollah and securing a broader peace arrangement between Israel and Lebanon.
"Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy that puts all the citizens of Lebanon at gunpoint and uses Lebanon as a platform to launch terror missiles into our cities, to launch killer drones against our civilians," Netanyahu said.
"And so if we want to save Lebanon, if we want to get a Lebanese-Israeli peace, as I do, we have to disarm Hezbollah and we have to demilitarise Lebanon. And I know that this is a goal that the president and I share."
Addressing reports of a heated exchange, Netanyahu declined to discuss details of his conversation with Trump but said the two leaders had always found ways to resolve differences.
"We have so many agreements, we agree on the main things," he said. "You have these tactical disagreements. We always find a way to work them out, and we do so as great friends."
Asked whether his relationship with Trump had changed, Netanyahu replied: "No."
"This has been a great relationship, because he's been the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House," he added.
‘Wartime leaders’ amid escalating regional tensions
Defending the tone of the conversation, Trump said both he and Netanyahu operate under wartime pressures.
“I’m a wartime president,” Trump said. “He’s a wartime prime minister.”
He added that while he was concerned about the conflict disrupting diplomatic progress, he still expected a resolution to broader regional tensions “fairly quickly.”
The remarks come amid ongoing US-led efforts to manage parallel crises involving Iran, Israel and Hezbollah, with Washington attempting to balance military escalation and nuclear negotiations.
Notably, this is not the first time Trump and Netanyahu have reportedly had a heated exchange. A few weeks earlier, the US President and the Israeli Prime Minister held another tense phone call focused on efforts to revive diplomacy with Iran.
US media reports at the time suggested sharp differences between the two leaders over whether to continue negotiations with Tehran or escalate military pressure.
As per Axios, the discussion included a revised peace proposal drafted by regional mediators, aimed at narrowing gaps between Washington and Tehran, with one source describing Netanyahu’s reaction after the call by saying his “hair was on fire.”
Iran talks and Strait of Hormuz at centre of tensions
Trump also tied the Lebanon conflict to wider geopolitical negotiations involving Iran, suggesting that escalation risks undermining discussions on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route.
According to the interview, a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran could potentially reopen the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, though Trump cautioned that timelines remained uncertain.
He said energy prices and global markets had been more stable than predicted despite earlier warnings of major disruption, noting that oil prices had not surged to extreme levels forecast by critics.
Pressure over Lebanon conflict and diplomacy
Trump acknowledged that the ongoing violence involving Israel and Hezbollah was complicating diplomatic efforts, but said he remained optimistic that a deal could be reached soon.
The exchange reportedly reflects growing strain between Washington and Tel Aviv over the scale and timing of Israeli strikes in Lebanon, especially as civilian casualties and regional spillovers increase pressure on US diplomacy.
Trump has also framed the broader conflict as part of his administration’s attempt to secure a wider regional settlement involving Iran, Lebanon and Israel.
