President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a 'great war leader' and that had a weak prime minister led Israel, the country would not exist, according to reports. Trump made the remarks during his visit to Turkey.
President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "great war leader" during his visit to Turkey on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, according to reports. The remark, circulated on Telegram and reported by Israeli media, came as part of a series of statements by Trump during the trip. Earlier Wednesday, Trump claimed that Turkey would have joined the Iran war against Israel without his intervention, as The Zioneer reported at 17:30 Jerusalem.
The Zioneer first reported on Trump's praise for Netanyahu at 13:23 Jerusalem, when Trump said he loves Netanyahu and called him a "great wartime prime minister." A second report at the same time added that Trump said without a strong leader like Netanyahu, Israel would not exist. These initial reports were based on a single source; by the afternoon, multiple Israeli news outlets had corroborated the remarks. Later, at 17:30, The Zioneer reported that Trump also claimed Turkey would have joined the Iran war without his intervention, attributing the statement to his personal request to President Erdogan.
The Zioneer has previously tracked Trump's shifting assessments of regional leadership. On June 10, Trump said Iran had "made fools of us" by dealing with "very stupid" US presidents, and on June 11, he praised Erdogan as "great" and said the US would engage with Turkey. A June 16 assessment from a single source claimed Trump was turning on Netanyahu, though no specific policy shift was cited. French President Emmanuel Macron said on June 19 that Trump had recently changed his approach toward Netanyahu. The current praise appears to contrast with that assessment.
The exact context of Trump's remarks remains unclear, as they have been reported through secondhand accounts and Telegram posts. Trump's relationship with Netanyahu has fluctuated, and no official US statement has been issued. The Zioneer will continue to monitor developments.
3 developments
- StrongTrump: Netanyahu 'a fighter,' deserves credit; shares article on uncertain re-election odds
- DevelopingTrump says ties with Netanyahu are 'excellent,' denies frustration
- DevelopingTrump says he is likely to endorse Netanyahu in election, needs to see other candidates
- StrongTrump describes Netanyahu as 'good guy' who 'gets too excited,' claims disagreement over Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake