US President Donald Trump said he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “f—king crazy” during a phone call on Monday, but added that both leaders still maintain strong working relations.
In an exclusive interview with The Post’s Miranda Devine on the “Pod Force One” podcast, Trump said he became frustrated over Netanyahu’s continued military actions in Lebanon.
“I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon,” Trump said.
He said the ongoing strikes have created complications for possible US-Iran peace talks. According to Trump, Tehran has demanded a halt to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah before moving forward with any agreement related to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Despite his sharp remark, Trump stressed that his relationship with Netanyahu remains positive. “We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot,” he said.
Trump described both leaders as wartime figures and said he believes cooperation between them continues.
“I’m a wartime president. He’s a wartime prime minister,” he said.
The US president also said he remains hopeful about a possible deal with Iran in the near future. He claimed oil prices have not risen as sharply as many predicted and said the US economy remains strong, pointing to record-high stock market levels.
Trump added that a possible memorandum of understanding with Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz soon, although he said negotiations have faced delays due to reported disagreements and communication issues.
He said he is not rushing the process and remains confident about progress in talks.
Trump also said that he would like to meet Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, once a peace deal is finalised.
Also Read, US President Donald Trump calls Israeli PM Netanyahu ‘Crazy’
