Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu’s relationship has been a whirlwind. The two remain leaders of the closest allies in the geopolitical landscape, but they reportedly do not see eye to eye personally. Now, Trump is reportedly calling Netanyahu, urging him to rectify his most recent actions.
The last time President Trump had a public correspondence with Netanyahu, he was expecting a ceasefire with Gaza that would not proceed without Hamas releasing the hostages. Not only was Trump unable to secure that ceasefire, but soon after Netanyahu left Washington, D.C., Israel launched a strike on Syrian government buildings in Damascus — where, according to CNN, Trump is overseeing a rebuilding process — and another strike in Gaza, where the only Catholic church in the area was destroyed, killing three people in the bombing.
The church had gained international attention after it was revealed that the late Pope Francis called in every night to check on the safety of its congregation. There is also the ongoing crisis of civilians in Gaza being killed while seeking aid, forced instead into a “drip-feeding” system for food and other emergency needs. Nations and individuals around the globe have condemned Israel and Netanyahu specifically, and given Netanyahu’s close alliance with Trump, some of that condemnation has reached Trump’s doorstep as well. On Monday, Karoline Leavitt, the Trump administration’s press secretary, was pressed on this issue.
Leavitt insisted that Trump should not be blamed, arguing instead that he should be applauded for his efforts to maintain peace in the region despite inheriting a complicated situation from a “weak” previous administration. “The President enjoys a good working relationship with Bibi Netanyahu and stays in frequent communication with him,” Leavitt said. “He was caught off guard by the bombing in Syria and also by the bombing of a Catholic church in Gaza,” she added. “In both instances, the President quickly called the Prime Minister to rectify those situations.”
Beyond these calls for Netanyahu to “rectify” the church bombing and the humanitarian crisis, Leavitt shared that Secretary Marco Rubio is already working to calm tensions between Syria and Israel. She also emphasized that the only reason Gaza is receiving any humanitarian aid at all is because the Trump administration chose to prioritize the matter.
Despite these efforts, pressure on the administration is mounting, and its promises appear more untrustworthy than ever — especially to its base. Podcasts that once warmly supported Trump, often focusing on culture war topics like trans athletes in sports, no longer have distractions. Many cannot understand why Trump’s administration appears to support the bombing of churches or the starvation of children in Gaza.
President Trump has made it clear that he wants peace, even if it is just for the sake of an award that has so far eluded him in his political career. The fact remains that he wants his legacy to be tied to peace. He brags about it at rallies, and he mentions it at every opportunity. But Trump cannot bring back lost lives by asking for “rectification”; he can only prevent further loss. That is true peace.
