The Wall Street Journal reports that relations between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are under increasing strain amid disagreements over Iran policy. According to the report, Trump told Netanyahu 'Why are you blowing up buildings? … Stop blowing up buildings,' and has privately complained that 'Netanyahu wants to bomb everyone.' The report also says Netanyahu questioned the nuclear clauses of a potential deal with Iran, asking Trump 'Donald, how are you going to verify that?' White House officials say Trump has recently begun frequently asking aides whether things he hears from Netanyahu in their conversations are accurate — something, per a senior administration official, that was not customary before.
A Wall Street Journal report this morning adds new details to the growing picture of U.S.-Israel tension over Iran, revealing that President Trump has begun questioning the accuracy of Prime Minister Netanyahu's accounts of their conversations — a shift a senior administration official described as unprecedented.
The Zioneer first reported the WSJ's disclosures at 06:28 Jerusalem, when the paper quoted Trump complaining that Netanyahu 'wants to bomb everyone' and asking him to 'stop blowing up buildings.' A subsequent update at 06:43 Jerusalem added the exchange in which Netanyahu challenged Trump on verification of a potential Iran deal, asking 'Donald, how are you going to verify that?' and described the conversations as 'repetitive.' The latest report, the third in the thread, confirms all previous elements and adds the new detail about Trump's habit of checking Netanyahu's truthfulness — something that, per the WSJ, was not customary in prior interactions.
The reports come against a backdrop of deepening divergence over Iran strategy, as The Zioneer previously reported. On Jun 8, Trump signaled a diplomatic deal with Tehran was imminent and urged Israel to halt retaliation after a direct Iranian missile barrage. On Jun 7, contradictory reports emerged, with one source claiming Trump pledged to dismantle Iran's nuclear capabilities and another saying he was pressing Israel to avoid retaliation.
Neither the White House nor the Prime Minister's Office has commented on any of the reports. The WSJ does not cite a specific recent call but describes a pattern of tension across multiple conversations.
4 developments
- StrongTrump tells Netanyahu he is determined to sign Iran agreement as deal talks accelerate
- StrongTrump to NYT: Netanyahu should be grateful — strikes nearly scuttled Iran deal
- DevelopingReport: Trump and Netanyahu Plotting a 'Trap' for Iran
- DevelopingSenior Israeli official: Netanyahu told Trump he understands his Iran efforts but Israel must not be a victim
Source and signal
- Internal intake