Donald Trump's advisers are increasingly frustrated with Benjamin Netanyahu, criticizing his strategic decisions and sabotaging US diplomatic plans in the Middle East.
The tensions are escalating into personal clashes, with Trump calling the Israeli leader “crazy” and insists on limiting military action in Lebanon.
The US-Israeli relationship is currently in a period of unprecedented tactical tension, caused by the divergent goals of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the wars in the Middle East.
Despite their long-standing alliance, the leaders are currently clashing on key strategic issues.
The Trump administration has signed a new interim agreement (memorandum of understanding) with Iran and is pushing for a diplomatic solution and a ceasefire on all fronts.
The Netanyahu government strongly opposes the deal with Tehran. At the same time, Trump is furious that Israel's ongoing military operations in Lebanon are undermining U.S. peace talks. During a tense phone call, Trump even called Netanyahu "crazy" for his escalation in Beirut.
Trump is seeking quick and large-scale diplomatic victories on the international stage. His inner circle believes that Netanyahu is deliberately prolonging the conflict (an "endless war") to ensure his own political survival before the upcoming Israeli elections in the fall.
Amid the leaked information about the rift, Donald Trump gave an interview to Axios in which he tried to demonstrate control, stating: “We get along very well, but Netanyahu knows who's boss“. Trump added that Israel would not survive without American weapons and B-2 bombers.
Despite the heavy arguments behind the scenes, the two leaders held a phone call on the eve of July 4 and agreed Netanyahu's official visit to the White House in the coming weeks. This will be the Israeli prime minister's seventh trip to the United States since the start of Trump's second term in 2025. Washington hopes to use the meeting to force Israel to comply with the new American framework for peace in the region.