Former U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged in a private conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he had cursed at the Israeli leader during a heated phone call in which he urged Netanyahu not to proceed with airstrikes on Beirut, the Lebanese capital.
The disclosure, reported by multiple U.S. And Israeli sources, marks the first public confirmation of the intensity of the exchange, which occurred amid escalating tensions in the region following weeks of cross-border attacks between Israel and Hezbollah. According to officials familiar with the call, Trump’s outburst came as Netanyahu’s government weighed a limited military response to Hezbollah’s rocket fire into northern Israel, a retaliation for a deadly strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus earlier this month. The U.S. Had signaled strong opposition to any Israeli action that risked widening the conflict, particularly one that could draw Lebanon’s Shiite militant group deeper into the fray.
Trump’s intervention, described by one administration official as “unprecedented in its bluntness,” reflected the White House’s deep concern over the potential for a broader regional war. The former president, who had previously expressed support for Netanyahu’s hardline stance on Iran and Hezbollah, reportedly told the Israeli prime minister that an attack on Beirut would be a “terrible mistake” and that it would “destroy any chance of a deal” on a future ceasefire. Sources close to the conversation said Trump’s language grew increasingly heated when Netanyahu suggested that Israel might need to act unilaterally to deter further attacks.
The revelation comes as Netanyahu faces mounting pressure both domestically and internationally over his government’s handling of the crisis. Israeli defense officials have signaled that while Jerusalem is prepared to respond to Hezbollah’s provocations, it remains committed to avoiding a full-scale war. Meanwhile, Lebanese officials have warned that any Israeli strike on Beirut—home to Hezbollah’s political offices and military infrastructure—would trigger an unprecedented escalation, potentially drawing in regional allies of both sides.
Trump’s acknowledgment of the cursing, while not confirmed by Netanyahu’s office, underscores the personal and diplomatic strain between the two leaders, who had previously enjoyed a close relationship. The former president’s call reportedly took place in the days following a closed-door meeting between Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jerusalem, where Blinken reiterated Washington’s position against unilateral Israeli military action. The State Department declined to comment on the specifics of the Trump-Netanyahu conversation but confirmed that the U.S. Remains engaged in behind-the-scenes diplomacy to de-escalate tensions.
The timing of the call is significant, as it occurred just hours after Israel’s military conducted a limited strike on a Hezbollah weapons depot in southern Lebanon, an operation that Hezbollah described as a “declaration of war.” The exchange between Trump and Netanyahu suggests that even as the U.S. Maintains its strategic alliance with Israel, there are deep divisions over how to respond to Hezbollah’s aggression. Israeli analysts note that Netanyahu’s government is walking a fine line between deterring Hezbollah and avoiding a conflict that could destabilize Lebanon’s fragile political system and draw in Iran directly.
For now, the immediate focus remains on whether Israel will pursue further military action against Hezbollah’s targets in Lebanon. Netanyahu’s office has not publicly addressed Trump’s comments, but Israeli media reports suggest that the prime minister’s team is reviewing the former president’s warnings in light of broader regional dynamics. The U.S. Continues to urge restraint, with administration officials emphasizing that any escalation must be carefully calibrated to avoid unintended consequences.
The conversation between Trump and Netanyahu also highlights the complexities of U.S. Foreign policy in the Middle East, where alliances and red lines are frequently tested. While the Biden administration has maintained a steady diplomatic effort to prevent a wider conflict, the involvement of a former president—particularly one with a history of direct engagement in the region—adds an additional layer of uncertainty. For Israel, the message from Trump may serve as a reminder of the high stakes involved in any military decision, even as Hezbollah continues to test Jerusalem’s resolve.
