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By Garrison Vance | Source
President Donald Trump confirmed in a podcast interview that he used profanity toward IsraeliPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on June 1, 2026, over Israelβs military operations in Lebanon. The confirmation, given to the New York Postβs βPod Force Oneβ podcast on June 3, matches a report from Axios that cited anonymous U.S. officials describing an expletive-laden exchange [11]. According to a transcript of the interview, when asked if he had told Netanyahu βAre you f**king crazy?β and βWhat are you f**king doing?β the president replied, βI didβ.
Trump stated that he was βa little bit perturbedβ at Netanyahuβs βconstantly fighting with Lebanon,β and told the Israeli leader, βBibi, weβve got to stop this. Youβve got to stop itβ. The call occurred as Israeli forces were advancing deeper into southern Lebanon and preparing to bomb Beirut, threatening a broader U.S.-Iran ceasefire framework that the Trump administration had been negotiating [7]. Iran had warned that Israelβs actions in Lebanon could collapse those talks.
Details of the Exchange
Axios reported that Trump also told Netanyahu, βYouβd be in prison if it werenβt for me. Iβm saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of thisβ [5]. Trump did not dispute those additional remarks. In the podcast, the president said he reminded Netanyahu of the political support he had provided, adding that the Israeli leaderβs military actions were damaging Israelβs global standing.
According to one U.S. official cited by Axios, Trump βsteamrolledβ Netanyahu during the call, which lasted about an hour [7]. The exchange took place after Iran suspended talks with the U.S. over a potential memorandum of understanding, citing Israelβs strikes on Lebanon [6]. Trump later announced on Truth Social that he had brokered a partial ceasefire: Israeli troops would not enter Beirut, and Hezbollah would stop shooting [10]. However, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon continued in the following days, killing at least nine people, according to Lebanese authorities.
Context of U.S.-Israel Differences
Since the U.S.-led conflict with Iran expanded to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the two governments have often pursued divergent goals, according to officials and analysts. The Trump administration has prioritized finalizing a deal with Iran to dismantle its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which had been blockaded by Tehran [6]. In contrast, Israelβs far-right government, led by Netanyahu, has sought more expansive objectives, including the annexation of territory in southern Lebanon as part of a βGreater Israelβ project [1].
Israeli officials have repeatedly stated their intention to continue military operations against Hezbollah until the group withdraws from southern Lebanon and disarms [3]. Analysts have noted that Netanyahuβs government sees the war as an opportunity to reshape the regional order, while Washingtonβs primary concern is stabilizing energy markets and reducing tensions with Iran [4]. The divergence has led to multiple heated phone calls between the two leaders in recent weeks, including a May 19 call where Netanyahuβs βhair was on fireβ after Trump delayed a planned strike on Iran to pursue diplomacy [15]. Iran has also warned that any ground invasion would result in a quagmire comparable to the Vietnam War [2].
Impact and Implications
The heated exchange underscores deepening tensions between the two allies over strategy in the region, analysts said. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) responded to the reports by stating that the confrontation was βall talkβ and that the U.S. could end Israelβs wars by withholding military aid. βJust withhold foreign aid to Israel for a month and theyβll stop bombing their neighbors β instant peace, the Strait of Hormuz can be opened, and gas drops to $2 a gallonβ [12].
It remains unclear whether the disagreement will affect U.S. support for Israelβs security or the pace of diplomacy with Iran. While Trump announced a partial ceasefire, Israeli forces continued operations in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah launched retaliatory rocket attacks [14]. Iranβs parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that if Israelβs attacks did not stop, Iran would be in βdirect confrontationβ with Israel [9]. The ongoing crisis has also caused volatility in global energy markets, with oil prices spiking after Iran denied progress on talks following the Lebanon escalation [6]. The long-term implications for the U.S.-Israel relationship and regional stability remain uncertain.





