President Donald Trump erupted at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a profanity-filled phone call on Monday, telling him, 'you're f****** crazy' and demanding he halt planned strikes on Beirut as Israel's military escalation in Lebanon threatened to destroy ongoing US-Iran peace negotiations.
Trump Accused Netanyahu of Ingratitude and Recklessness
Two US officials and a third source briefed on the call told Axios that Trump was 'pissed' and at one point screamed 'What the f*** are you doing?' He told Netanyahu he'd helped keep him out of prison, referencing his support during the prime minister's corruption trial, and warned the Beirut offensive would further isolate Israel.
'You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your a**. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,' Trump told Netanyahu, according to a US official who summarised the call for Axios.
One US official described it as one of the worst calls between the two leaders since Trump returned to office in January 2025.
Netanyahu Ordered Beirut Strikes Despite Active Ceasefire Talks
The confrontation came after Netanyahu ordered the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to strike Hezbollah targets in Beirut's Dahiyeh district. Israel has been expanding ground operations in southern Lebanon, capturing the Beaufort Castle over the weekend in its deepest incursion in more than two decades.
The strikes directly collided with fragile US-Iran diplomacy. Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran suspended all message exchanges with Washington, saying it won't return to the table until Israeli operations in Lebanon and Gaza end.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that the ceasefire agreed on 7 April between Washington and Tehran is 'unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon.' He added that 'the US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation.'
Iran's Walkout Exposes a Deepening US-Israel Rift
The breakdown in talks exposed what officials have identified as a fundamental split between the two allies. Trump wants a negotiated agreement with Iran that ends the war. Netanyahu wants sustained military pressure that could lead to regime change in Tehran.
A source familiar with US-Israel discussions told CNN that Israeli leaders 'were so invested in regime change in Iran that they did not fully comprehend the war could lead to a regime change in DC.' Trump recognised that the perception of Israel pulling the US into a prolonged conflict was politically damaging.
The memorandum that the US and Iran are negotiating includes a provision to end fighting in Lebanon, according to Axios. That made Netanyahu's military escalation a direct threat to Trump's own diplomatic strategy.
Trump Claims He Forced Netanyahu to Back Down
After the call, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had asked Netanyahu 'not to go into a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon. He turned his Troops around. Thank you Bibi!'
He also told ABC News the situation was 'a little glitch today, but I turned that one around very quickly.'
Netanyahu told a different story. He wrote on X that he told Trump Israel would attack targets in Beirut if Hezbollah didn't stop firing on Israeli cities, and that the IDF 'will continue to operate as planned' in southern Lebanon.
A second US official claimed Trump had effectively 'steamrolled' Netanyahu. 'Bibi said, "OK, OK, just make sure everything is taken care of,"' according to the official.
The United Nations said Monday it was 'deeply alarmed' by the escalation in Lebanon. The World Food Programme warned of a 'deepening humanitarian emergency' across the country.
