President Donald Trump told NBC he has always treated Prime Minister Netanyahu well, but added that Netanyahu simply needs to 'relax sometimes and use his head.' The remark, reported Friday evening, is the latest in a series of public statements by Trump on the Israeli leader and their working relationship.
In an NBC interview reported at 20:35 Jerusalem on Friday, President Donald Trump said he has always treated Prime Minister Netanyahu well, but suggested Netanyahu should 'relax sometimes and use his head.' The remark is the latest in a sequence of public statements by Trump regarding Netanyahu, all originating on Friday.
The thread began with an initial report at 08:21 Jerusalem on Friday, where a message circulating on Israeli channels quoted Trump as saying Netanyahu needs to be 'kept sane' — noted as brief and without full context. By the same morning, at 08:21, subsequent reports fleshed out the president's remarks: one version quoted Trump saying Netanyahu needs to be kept 'somewhat restrained' and that Trump could prevent an Israeli strike on Lebanon due to the respect Israel's leadership holds for him; another version quoted the president saying Netanyahu needs to be kept 'somewhat sane' and added that 'Israel does what I tell it.' The reports were carried by Hebrew media, shifting from a vague channel message to more detailed, attributed newsroom reports.
As The Zioneer reported over the preceding days, Trump's recent comments about Netanyahu have repeatedly carried a tone of mild correction: he described Netanyahu on Wednesday as a 'good guy' who 'gets too excited,' and earlier in the week claimed the US is the 'senior partner' and Israel the 'very junior partner.' In a separate context, Trump also acknowledged a 'small disagreement' over Lebanon. The pattern — alternately affectionate and scolding — has been consistent.
No full transcript or further context from the NBC interview was available in the reports.
4 developments
- DevelopingTrump calls Netanyahu, demands ceasefire as security cabinet convenes
- DevelopingTrump administration demands Israel agree to permanent ceasefire with Hezbollah
- DevelopingTrump reportedly sides with Iran on demand that Israel stop attacking Hezbollah
- DevelopingTrump tells Netanyahu 'it's time to end this war' with Iran, Axios reports
Source and signal
- Internal intake