Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
In an extraordinary public dressing-down of a close ally, President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed personal credit for the survival of the State of Israel while condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military tactics in Lebanon, warning that the Israeli leader “has to be more responsible” as Washington finalises a landmark ceasefire deal with Iran. Speaking at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, Trump abandoned the usual diplomatic circumspection that has historically governed US‑Israeli relations, delivering a blunt message that underscored growing friction between the two leaders over Israel’s refusal to constrain its campaign against Hezbollah.
“Without the U.S., there would be no Israel,” Trump told reporters. “Without me, there would be no Israel because no other president was willing to do what I did. I have had a great relationship with Bibi. Now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon” .
The president’s remarks followed a weekend Israeli airstrike on a Hezbollah command centre in southern Beirut, which threatened to derail months of delicate US‑Iran negotiations. The attack came just hours before Trump was set to announce a preliminary peace deal with Tehran, prompting an angry phone call in which Trump reportedly asked Netanyahu, “What the f*** are you doing?” . On Tuesday, Trump described the Beirut strike as “vicious” and “too much,” adding that he “didn’t like where two hours before we’re signing the agreement that there was an attack in Lebanon” .
The president’s criticism extended to Israel’s broader war against Hezbollah, which erupted in March when the Iran‑backed group opened fire on Israel in solidarity with Tehran. “Too many people have been killed. You don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they're not all Hezbollah,” Trump said. He suggested that Israel should have completed its mission faster, adding that the protracted conflict was casting a “negative light on the big deal” with Iran.
Trump also raised the possibility of outsourcing the fight against Hezbollah to Syria, a proposal that would represent a dramatic geopolitical shift. “If Israel can't do the job without killing everyone else, Syria will do the job. I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah, because to be honest with you, I think they'd do a better job of doing it,” he said. The suggestion underscores Trump’s deepening ties with Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa, the former rebel leader who toppled Bashar al‑Assad in late 2024, but it also risks alarming Israeli officials who view Syria’s new leadership with deep suspicion.
Trump’s combative posture marks a departure from decades of bipartisan US policy, in which presidents have largely refrained from publicly criticising Israel’s military tactics. His comments drew swift condemnation from left‑leaning groups, with Halie Soifer of the Jewish Democratic Council of America calling the remarks “deeply offensive to the vast majority of Jews who care about Israel’s future”. Conservative pro‑Israel groups were divided, with some dismissing the criticism as tactical pressure rather than a fundamental policy shift.
The tension comes as Trump faces mounting political pressure to end a war that has driven up gasoline prices and become increasingly unpopular at home. The US and Iran are set to formally sign a memorandum of understanding in Geneva on Friday, but the deal’s fate remains uncertain. Netanyahu has insisted that Israeli forces will remain in Lebanese territory, declaring on Monday that “the struggle has not ended”. Iran’s foreign minister has warned that any continued Israeli occupation of Lebanese land would constitute a violation of the fledgling agreement.
The White House declined to say whether Trump’s criticism would translate into policy changes that could constrain Israel’s military operations. But the president’s willingness to publicly rebuke Netanyahu and claim credit for Israel’s existence signals a new chapter in US‑Israeli relations—one in which Washington’s patience with its closest Middle East ally appears to be wearing thin.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com ✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments