Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to play down reports of a growing divide with US President Donald Trump after the American leader
publicly acknowledged calling him "crazy" during a private conversation over Israel's military campaign in Lebanon. The unusual admission came after Trump was asked about an Axios report claiming he had angrily confronted Netanyahu over continued Israeli operations that risked derailing Washington's diplomatic efforts with Iran. "I did," Trump said during an interview on the Pod Force One podcast. "I wouldn't say angry. I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon." Even while confirming the exchange, Trump stressed that his relationship with the Israeli leader remained intact. "I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him," he added.
Netanyahu: 'We Always Find A Way To Work It Out'
Netanyahu appeared unfazed by the reports, dismissing suggestions of a major falling out with his closest international ally. "Sometimes we have, as in the best of families, these tactical disagreements," the Israeli prime minister said during an interview with CNBC. "We always find a way to work them out, and we do so as great friends."
He even joked that the pair could "disagree in the morning" and find themselves back on the same page by the afternoon. Behind the diplomatic language, however, the disagreement comes at a sensitive moment. The Trump administration is reportedly exploring a broader understanding with Tehran that could preserve the US-Iran ceasefire and reopen negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.
The stability of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy shipping routes, also remains closely tied to the success of those talks.
Lebanon Becoming A Point Of Friction
While Washington and Jerusalem broadly share the objective of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, their approaches towards Lebanon appear to be diverging. Israel has vowed to continue targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, even as diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran remain active. Iranian officials have repeatedly argued that any broader ceasefire arrangement must also include Lebanon.
Former US diplomat Brett Bruen told the BBC that Netanyahu has historically pursued his own strategic objectives regardless of pressure from Washington. "Netanyahu has a long history of doing his own dance, irrespective of what he has heard from Washington," Bruen said, adding that Trump may now be confronting the realities of working alongside a leader with priorities that do not always align with America's immediate diplomatic goals.
The latest episode also fits into a longer pattern. Netanyahu previously clashed with Bill Clinton over the Oslo process, openly challenged Barack Obama's Iran policy, and had periods of tension with Joe Biden. Despite those disputes, Trump and Netanyahu have generally enjoyed one of the closest relationships between an American and Israeli leader, with Netanyahu repeatedly describing Trump as Israel's "greatest friend" in the White House.
