US President Donald Trump made a striking declaration about his authority over Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump addressed the ongoing Iran negotiations and revealed where he stands on the power dynamic between the two leaders.
Donald Trump makes bold claims about Israeli PM over Iran war
US President Donald Trump declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have “no choice” but to accept any deal the US negotiates with Iran, the Financial Times reported. Trump stated in a telephone interview that he “calls the shots” on the matter. “He won’t have any choice,” Trump said. “I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots,” he added.
The remarks came shortly after Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel. The strikes marked the most serious breach of the ceasefire established in early April. Trump also told Fox News he would instruct Netanyahu not to retaliate against Tehran.
Despite the escalation, Trump insisted the missile strikes would not derail negotiations. “It’s not going to have any impact on the deal,” he told the FT. He added that the attacks “did not kick at all.” Trump described the conflict as something “that’s been going for 3,000 years, or 47 years.”
However, Trump did not express strong confidence that an agreement was close. “I think the deal is going on. We’ll see what happens,” he said. Trump noted the deal would succeed or fail “on its own merit.”
When asked about a potential failure, Trump raised the possibility of military action. “Possibly we would go in and take care of the rest of the place,” he said. The president also pointed to the existing blockade as a powerful alternative to strikes.
Trump’s comments followed a leaked call between the two leaders reported by Axios. A US official described Trump telling Netanyahu: “You’re f**king crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me.” Trump confirmed the call took place and did not dispute its characterization. Iran has stated that a permanent Israeli ceasefire remains a precondition for any deal.
Originally reported by Vritii Johar for Mandatory.
