Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has brushed off reports that Donald Trump branded him 'crazy' during a tense phone call.

00:16, Thu, Jun 4, 2026 Updated: 00:30, Thu, Jun 4, 2026

President Trump Meets With Israeli PM Netanyahu At His Palm Beach Estate

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have exchanged heated words (Image: Getty)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed reports that President Donald Trump called him "f----- crazy," insisting he regards his relationship with the Republican administration as a family matter.

Netanyahu made the remarks during an interview with CNBC, addressing several key priorities of his government, including ties with the United States. When questioned about a heated telephone exchange with the American leader, Netanyahu said that while he would not disclose specifics of the conversation, it was entirely normal for "families" to have disagreements on particular matters.

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"If you think this is a crisis, you should be in some other conversations. But we've always found a way. We have so many agreements. We agree on the main things. We want to get Iran, the nuclear program in Iran, finished.

"We want to make sure that Iran doesn't pose a threat to Israel, to the Middle East, to America, that it doesn't develop nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them not only to Israel and to every capital in Europe, but to every city in the United States," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu stated Israel does not require US backing. He said: "One of the senators in the American Senate said, 'If we had an Israel instead of an Afghanistan, we wouldn't have had to spend $1 trillion - we would spend a fraction of a fraction of that,' which was, you know, a few billion dollars a year.

"But I said, 'We don't need that, either." Netanyahu added: "That's our common goal. That's what we set out to do, and to expand the circle of peace, as the President and I did in the Abraham Accords together. So we have common goals.

"Sometimes we have, as in the best of families, you have these tactical disagreements. We always find a way to work them out, and we do so as great friends. We can disagree in the morning and by the afternoon we have common action."

Trump: 'I was a little bit perturbed'

Netanyahu's remarks come amid multiple reports suggesting the American president unleashed a furious tirade against the Israeli leader over strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.

"What the f--- are you doing?" Trump reportedly told Netanyahu on Monday, according to Axios, which first reported on the tense calls.

"You're f----- crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this," the president continued, unnamed members of the administration told the news outlet.

Trump confirmed the phone call on Wednesday during a pre-recorded podcast interview, downplaying suggestions his remarks stemmed from anger: "I wouldn't say angry. I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon, you know."

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Protesters hold placard of Trump and Netanyahu amid Iran war (Image: Getty)

Israel-Lebanon tensions rise amid pressures to end war in Iran

The president's acknowledgement of the heated telephone conversation with Netanyahu that included expletives reflects mounting pressure to resolve the Iran conflict, as rising energy costs and economic instability threaten Republicans ahead of midterm elections while disrupting international trade.

However, Trump offered no firm timeline for ending the dispute, suggesting the Strait of Hormuz could remain closed until the Labor Day holiday on 7th September. He has demanded Iran halt any activities that might enable nuclear weapons development and that the strait be reopened for oil and natural gas shipments.

Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike on Wednesday struck a vehicle on a busy motorway just south of Beirut, mere hours before the second day of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel were due to commence in Washington.

The strike in Khaldeh occurred without warning, and it remained unclear whether the intended target was killed. Israel typically claims it targets members of the Hezbollah militant group in such drone strikes.

IDF Strikes Hit Nabatieh In Southern Lebanon

IDF strikes southern Lebanon (Image: Getty)

What's the latest on Israel and Lebanon?

On Monday, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-brokered deal whereby Israel would cease strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs while Hezbollah would halt attacks on northern Israel.

The agreement came hours after Israel announced plans to launch strikes across the sprawling urban neighbourhoods near the Lebanese capital in what would have marked the most intensive bombardment since a nominal ceasefire took effect on 17th April.

The State Department confirmed progress had been achieved during the opening day of discussions on Tuesday. Lebanon is seeking to broaden the ceasefire's remit to encompass the entire nation. Israel is demanding the immediate disarmament of Hezbollah before concluding its operations in Lebanon and withdrawing forces from numerous villages and towns.

Shortly following the strike on Khaldeh, the Israeli military announced it had intercepted what it described as a hostile aircraft approaching from southern Lebanon, though it stopped short of directly attributing responsibility to Hezbollah. Hezbollah has not claimed any cross-border attack since the agreement was reached.