Trump blasts Netanyahu in leaked call, threatens to withdraw U.S. support

Donald Trump lashes out at Benjamin Netanyahu in explosive leaked phone call, threatening to withdraw U.S. support and declaring the Israeli prime minister would be "in prison" without him.

In a heated exchange revealed by multiple sources, the U.S. president accused Netanyahu of being "completely out of his mind" and warned that Israel’s global isolation would worsen without his backing, according to *La Repubblica* . Trump allegedly told Netanyahu, *"Everyone hates you and Israel. Without me, you’d be in jail,"* a remark first reported by *Axios*’ Barak Ravid and later confirmed by *Der Standard*, which obtained a White House leak describing the president’s language as a calculated display of dominance .

The outburst follows mounting frustration over Netanyahu’s handling of Israel’s military strategy, particularly his reluctance to escalate strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, as reported by *The Independent* . Analysts suggest the public spat may be a tactical maneuver by both leaders to shore up domestic support—Trump positioning himself as Israel’s indispensable ally ahead of the U.S. election, while Netanyahu deflects criticism of his wartime leadership .

The rift underscores Netanyahu’s growing vulnerability. Former U.S. officials Aaron David Miller and Daniel C. Kurtzer argue that without Trump’s "focus on the prime minister as indispensable," Netanyahu’s political survival would be at risk, as his government faces backlash over its Lebanon strategy and stalled hostage negotiations . Meanwhile, Israel’s hawkish factions accuse Netanyahu of timidity, with *Al Jazeera* reporting calls for a full-scale assault on Beirut .

The timing of the leak—amid stalled U.S.-Israel talks on Iran and rising regional tensions—suggests a deliberate effort to shape perceptions. Analysts caution that the feud may be performative, designed to pressure Netanyahu into aligning with Trump’s hardline stance on Iran while allowing the U.S. president to distance himself from unpopular Israeli policies ahead of November’s election.