'I don't need Bibi to tell me': Trump says Israel should have kept Iran intel private
WASHINGTON, DC: Ahead of the scheduled meeting between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump revealed a private conversation between the two, saying he scolded his counterpart for disclosing Iran intelligence information.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, July 28, is the first since the two leaders launched a joint war against Iran and a chance for Netanyahu to smooth out strains in their relationship.
Trump scolded Netanyahu for revealing Iran intel to the ‘world’
During a telephonic interview with Fox News only hours before the scheduled meeting with Netanyahu, Trump revealed that he scolded Netanyahu for disclosing to the world that Iran is reportedly building a suspected underground nuclear facility. He further said that he didn't need a foreign leader to tell him what was actually going on.
Reports suggest that Israel has evidence that Iran has shifted nuclear infrastructure to Pickaxe Mountain.
Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt raised the reporting to the president during their interview, asking: “You say Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. Satellite images and intel show Iran is actively constructing and fortifying Pickaxe Mountain. How will we respond?”
“Well, I don’t need Bibi to tell me that,” Trump replied. “Bibi is telling me that because he wants me to stay involved,” Trump replied.
He continued: “We have the finest – because of Space Force – we have the greatest cameras in the world focused on it. We know exactly what is going on.”
“But, no, I heard Bibi announce that, I said why not just tell me? Why announce it to the world?” he added.
Iran is reportedly shifting nuclear facility underground
The New York Post, citing sources, on Monday, July 27, reported that Netanyahu might present evidence of Iran shifting the nuclear facility underground in the meeting with Trump. As per the report, Iran has shifted nuclear infrastructure to Pickaxe Mountain, arguing the activity shows Tehran is not negotiating in good faith.
Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had identified evidence of centrifuges being moved to the mountain complex after the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
Rounding on Earhardt’s question on what kind of response might come from the White House, the president said: “I know what is going on at Pickaxe Mountain, it’s not a big problem. We took out their nuclear sites and we’ll have to take out Pickaxe if we don’t make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, we’ll take it out very easily.”
