President Donald Trump said Israel abides by his wishes and that he has to keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “sane”—the latest example of Trump attempting to assert dominance over Israel as its top officials have widely criticized his Iran deal.
President Donald Trump speaks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport on October 13, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Trump insisted in an interview with Axios published Friday that his relationship with Netanyahu is “good, but we have to keep him a little bit sane.”
He also insisted he could control Israel from attacking Lebanon, telling the outlet, “They have a lot of respect for me, and so they do as I say.”
The comments were published shortly after Israel launched a wave of attacks against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon overnight Thursday, killing at least 47 people, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Hezbollah and Israel entered a new ceasefire agreement earlier Friday—and Trump claimed to NBC he asked Israel to agree to stop the fighting, though he wouldn’t say whether he spoke with Netanyahu directly.
A day earlier, Vice President JD Vance, who led U.S. negotiations with Iran, chastised Israeli lawmakers who have rebuked the U.S. deal with Iran: “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” he said.
Trump also repeated to Axios his previous claims that Israel wouldn’t exist without him because he stopped Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and using it against Israel.
Trump also told Axios he believes the Iran war proved his power has no limits, despite criticism that the deal with Iran didn’t guarantee an end to Iran’s nuclear program, Trump’s key objective for starting the war. “There are no limits,” he said when asked if the war tested his powers. Trump also said he struck a deal with Iran to prevent a global economic depression as Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz choked the global oil supply.
The U.S. and Iran cancelled a meeting planned for Friday in Switzerland to begin negotiating a final deal after signing a memorandum of understanding earlier in the week to end military hostilities. The agreement also required U.S. allies to cease fighting on all fronts, namely Lebanon. Netanyahu, however, has said Israel wasn’t privy to the deal or beholden to its terms and has vowed a continued military presence in Lebanon. Iran backed out of Friday’s talks after Israel attacked Hezbollah overnight Wednesday, three unnamed diplomats told The New York Times. The dispute over Israel’s presence in Lebanon has repeatedly stalled progress toward ending the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, angering Trump. In one tense phone call with Netanyahu earlier this month, Trump said he told the Israeli prime minister he is “crazy” and “a little bit perturbed.” On Sunday, as Trump and Iran were set to digitally sign the memorandum of understanding, Trump told Axios he was “so p---ed off” at Netanyahu for striking Lebanon. “I let him know. He has no f---king judgement. I let him know that,” Trump said.
Trump Says Iran Is ‘FINISHED’ After Cancelled Negotiations — As Israeli Attacks Threaten Deal (Forbes)
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Trump And Iranian President Sign Interim Peace Deal—Key Details Of Agreement Shared (Forbes)
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