Trump slams Netanyahu as ‘very difficult,’ says Israel should be grateful for Iran deal

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, June 14, describing him as “a very difficult guy” and asserting that Israel should be grateful for Washington’s role in securing a new agreement with Iran.

The comments came shortly after the United States and Iran announced a definitive completion of a historic bilateral peace accord. Speaking in a phone interview with The New York Times, Trump argued that the agreement would strengthen Israel’s long-term security and suggested that Netanyahu’s actions in recent weeks had complicated diplomatic efforts. 

Trump blasts Netanyahu over Iran deal

Trump said Israel stands to gain from the agreement and praised Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin for helping advance the settlement.

“He’s a very difficult guy,” Trump said of Netanyahu. “And to be honest with you, he should be very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn’t be around for two hours.”

Trump also discussed the broader implications of the accord, saying the agreement would help ensure stability in the region and keep the Strait of Hormuz open. According to reports, he told the newspaper that if a final nuclear accord is not reached, the United States would resume military action against Iran or become “the guardian of the Middle East.”

Iranian officials have described the agreement as a step toward ending the conflict and reopening diplomatic channels, though Tehran has said implementation remains contingent on the United States fulfilling several commitments.

Israeli objections surface as reports detail earlier tensions

Trump’s comments also came amid reports of disagreements between Washington and Jerusalem over the terms of the agreement and Israel’s military actions in Lebanon.

According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu informed Trump that Israeli forces would not withdraw from Lebanon and that Israel did not consider itself bound by provisions relating to Lebanon in the US-Iran memorandum.

Israeli outlet, Maariv reported that Netanyahu conveyed that position directly to the president, while Ynet reported that Trump had urged Israel to halt military operations in Lebanon and begin withdrawing troops, requests Netanyahu reportedly rejected.

Hours before the US-Iran agreement was ultimately announced, Trump had already expressed frustration over Israeli military actions. In a telephone interview with Axios, Trump said a proposed agreement that was expected to be finalized was delayed for awhile, after an Israeli strike in Beirut took place shortly before the scheduled signing process.

“Bibi has no judgment. It is so bad, I couldn't believe it,” Trump said, referring to Netanyahu.

According to the report, Trump said he had been informed shortly before the agreement was expected to move forward and viewed the escalation as unnecessary.

The president argued that the proposed agreement would better serve Israeli security interests because it would require Iran to surrender its enriched nuclear material and submit to international monitoring.