President Donald Trump told Fox News that he does not need Prime Minister Netanyahu to inform him about the Mount Makosh nuclear site, asserting he knows everything about it. The remark comes amid ongoing tensions between the two leaders over the US-Iran nuclear framework and the disputed facility.
President Donald Trump, in a Fox News interview, stated that he does not need Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to brief him on the Mount Makosh nuclear site, claiming he "knows everything about it." The remark is the latest in a series of statements from the same interview, reflecting Trump's public dismissal of Israeli concerns over the fortified Iranian facility.
The thread of Trump's comments emerged throughout the day. At 15:51 Jerusalem, initial reports cited Trump saying he does not need Netanyahu's briefing and threatening to "take down Mount Makosh easily" if no nuclear deal is reached. Shortly after, Trump claimed the US has "the greatest cameras" monitoring the site and described it as "not a big problem." He then warned the US would "take it out very easily" without a deal. By version 5 of the thread, Trump suggested Netanyahu is raising the issue to ensure US involvement. Earlier, at 15:58 Jerusalem, Trump told Fox News that Netanyahu should have raised the Mount Makosh issue in private rather than "tell the world." The White House meeting between the two leaders, which took place at 20:13 Jerusalem, was described by an Israeli source as achieving full coordination on Iran.
Mount Makosh — a nuclear site buried deep within a mountain — has been a central point of contention in the US-Iran nuclear framework. As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday, Netanyahu was expected to present new intelligence to Trump detailing the transfer of centrifuges into the site. Trump's public remarks, however, have consistently downplayed the significance of the facility and questioned the need for Israeli intelligence briefings.
It remains unclear whether Trump's comments reflect a deliberate negotiating posture or a genuine divergence from the Israeli assessment of the Iranian threat. The full context of the Fox News interview and its impact on the ongoing US-Iran talks has not been independently verified by The Zioneer.
5 developments
- DevelopingTrump on Fox News: Netanyahu should have raised Mount Pikaks privately, not 'tell the world'
- StrongTrump says 'good talks' with Iran, downplays Mount Makosh, warns of 'complete mission' if no deal
- DevelopingTrump escalates Mount Makosh threat: 'We will reach the site, tell Iran to prepare'
- DevelopingTrump: 'I don't need Bibi to present me intelligence on Iran,' hours before meeting
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