United States President Donald Trump has acknowledged this Wednesday that he had a tense verbal exchange with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he even called a "fucking crazy." However, he has tried to downplay the incident, defending the need to end the war in Lebanon and emphasizing that his relationship with Israel has remained strong in the context of the offensive in Iran.
"Yes, I did. I wouldn't say I was angry. I was a little disturbed by his constant confrontation with Lebanon," the US president confirmed about his conversation with Netanyahu, in statements to the podcast of conservative journalist Miranda Devine.
In this context, Trump recounted that "at one point I said: maybe we have to stop this. We have to stop it," although he insisted that both leaders have "worked well together" in recent months, despite the intensity of the conflict.
The White House tenant also emphasized: "I like Bibi a lot and I have worked very well with him. I am a wartime president. He is a wartime prime minister, in a very important part of the world," claiming that the two have acted "very well" and "understood each other very well" during this period.
As the American portal Axios reported, the phone conversation between Trump and Netanyahu to address the escalation in Lebanon was particularly heated and exposed the discrepancies between them in the midst of the war in the Middle East.
At one point during the call, Trump reproached the Israeli prime minister for the renewed military offensive in Lebanese territory, raising his voice to call him a "fucking crazy," after reminding him that, in his opinion, without his support he would be imprisoned.
"You are fucking crazy. You would be in jail if it weren't for me. I'm saving your ass. Now everyone hates you. Everyone hates Israel because of this," the US president stated, according to two sources familiar with the content of the conversation. This exchange occurred while the Israeli offensive jeopardized the negotiation process promoted by the United States and Iran to achieve a ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Netanyahu downplays the row and speaks of tactical disagreements
For his part, the Israeli Prime Minister, in an interview with the American network CNBC, has not denied the verbal clash and attributed it to mere "tactical disagreements". "Sometimes, as happens in the best families, we have tactical disagreements. But we always find a way to resolve them. And we do it as great friends," he stated.
Netanyahu has underlined that the United States and Israel share "common goals" and maintain a coincidental stance on "fundamental issues" regarding Iran, including the purpose of "ending Tehran's nuclear program."
"We have always found a way to move forward. We have many agreements," he reiterated, thus downplaying the importance of the verbal clash with Trump and presenting it as a specific difference within a broader strategic alliance.