US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “crazy” during a phone conversation earlier this week, expressing frustration that Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon were complicating ongoing efforts to reach a peace agreement with Iran.
In an interview released Wednesday on The New York Post’s “Pod Force One,” Trump acknowledged tensions with Netanyahu but emphasized that their relationship remains strong.
“We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him,” Trump said, referring to the Israeli leader by his nickname.
Trump said he was “a little bit perturbed” by Israel’s actions in Lebanon, which he believes have hindered diplomatic progress with Tehran. The remarks come as the US administration faces increasing pressure to end the regional conflict amid concerns over rising energy prices, economic uncertainty and their potential political impact ahead of midterm elections.
Despite the challenges, Trump said negotiations involving Iran were continuing, although he declined to provide a clear timeline for a resolution. He noted that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz could remain closed through the US Labor Day holiday on Sept. 7 but expressed confidence that the situation would likely be resolved sooner.
“I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly,” Trump said.
The US president also said Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is playing a role in ongoing peace discussions despite reportedly suffering injuries in an earlier airstrike. According to Trump, Iranian officials continue to seek Khamenei’s approval on key decisions.
Meanwhile, tensions remained high in Lebanon. An Israeli strike hit a vehicle on a busy highway south of Beirut on Wednesday, just hours before a second round of Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington. It was not immediately clear whether the targeted individual was killed.
The strike came days after Lebanon and Israel reached a US-mediated understanding under which Israel agreed not to target Beirut’s southern suburbs and Hezbollah pledged to halt attacks on northern Israel. The arrangement was reached shortly after Israel had announced plans for major strikes near the Lebanese capital.
The US State Department said progress had been made during the first day of talks on Tuesday. Lebanon is seeking a broader nationwide ceasefire, while Israel is demanding the immediate disarmament of Hezbollah before ending military operations and withdrawing troops from several Lebanese towns and villages.
Shortly after Wednesday’s strike, the Israeli military reported intercepting what it described as a hostile aircraft originating from southern Lebanon, though it did not directly blame Hezbollah. The group has not claimed responsibility for any cross-border attacks since the recent agreement was reached.