US President Donald Trump has offered a rare public jab at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying their relationship remains good but adding, “We have to keep him a little bit sane." The remark came when Trump was asked about his ties with the Israeli leader amid ongoing efforts to ease tensions in the West Asia.
“If it weren’t for Donald Trump — and Bibi Netanyahu worked well with me, but he will tell you, we’re the ones with the guns, we’re the ones with the whole deal, we’re the ones with the B-2 bombers, etc." Trump told Axios reporter Mark Caputo.
Trump has increasingly projected himself as the key figure preventing a wider regional war, claiming Israel would have been “eviscerated" without US backing and asserting that Washington must sometimes restrain Netanyahu’s actions. The US president has previously acknowledged being frustrated with Israel’s continued military operations, reportedly calling Netanyahu “crazy" during a phone conversation earlier this month.
The comments come against the backdrop of a fragile diplomatic push involving the US and Iran. Washington has been pursuing negotiations aimed at reducing hostilities and reviving discussions over Iran’s nuclear programme, even as disagreements persist over Tehran’s uranium enrichment, ballistic missile programme and support for regional proxy groups.
However, at least two people were reportedly killed in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon on Friday, even as US officials announced that Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement had agreed to a renewed ceasefire. Lebanese state media said the attack targeted an area in southern Lebanon hours after the truce was supposed to take effect. Israel has not immediately commented on the strike.
Relations between Trump and Netanyahu appear to have cooled in recent weeks, with Trump warning that Israel could be “on its own" if it resumed attacks on Iran and undermined ongoing peace efforts. Despite periodic ceasefires and indirect talks, the situation remains volatile, with US officials cautioning that any renewed escalation between Israel and Iran could derail diplomatic initiatives.
Trump’s latest remark underscores growing differences between Washington and Jerusalem over how aggressively to confront Iran, even as the two allies continue to coordinate closely on regional security issues.
