President Trump has officially confirmed he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘f-ing crazy’ during a tense phone call earlier this week, The Hill reported. The president spoke about the conversation during an interview with Pod Force One, which was released on Wednesday. He admitted to being a little bit perturbed at the constant fighting occurring in Lebanon, noting that these military actions are complicating broader diplomatic efforts.
The frustration stems from the ongoing Israeli military operations targeting Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. These attacks have created a significant roadblock in negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The ultimate goal is to bring an end to the war that has been active for more than three months in Iran. Iranian officials have maintained a firm stance, insisting that Israel must cease its military campaign against Hezbollah before they will agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or move forward with reforms to their nuclear program.
Despite the harsh language used during the call, the president emphasized that he and Netanyahu have worked very well together. He stated, “I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him. The president also categorized their current roles, saying, I’m a wartime president. He’s a wartime prime minister.”
Trump is seemingly losing patience with Netanyahu
The situation is particularly delicate because the Strait of Hormuz is responsible for transporting nearly a fifth of the world’s oil. Global oil and gas prices have spiked significantly due to the effective closure of the waterway. The administration has been actively trying to ease restrictions on the strait, including efforts to prevent Iran from imposing expensive tolls on commercial vessels.
While the Pentagon previously maintained a naval blockade that turned away over 100 ships since April, the president recently announced on Truth Social on Friday that he was ending this blockade. He stated that ships caught in the Strait may start the process of heading home.
Tensions escalated significantly over the weekend when the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire. U.S. Central Command reported that they struck Iranian air defenses, two drones that were threatening ships, and a ground control station. This was described as a response to aggressive Iranian actions, which included the shooting down of a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone operating over international waters.
The diplomatic landscape shifted on Monday when Iran, citing state-affiliated outlet Tasnim News Agency, announced it would stop exchanging messages with the U.S. through intermediaries. The report, which appeared on the messaging app Telegram, claimed that the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. had been violated on all fronts. This was linked to Israel’s capture of the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle on Sunday and the order from Netanyahu on Monday to attack Hezbollah-controlled neighborhoods in southern Beirut.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took to X to clarify the Iranian position. He stated that Lebanon is included in the ceasefire with the U.S. and that any violation on one front shall be considered a violation of it across all fronts. He further warned that the United States and Israel bear responsibility for the consequences of any breach of the truce.
A U.S. official familiar with the phone conversation between the president and Netanyahu noted that the president warned the prime minister against striking Beirut. The warning highlighted that such actions would further isolate Israel from the rest of the world. Despite these setbacks and the public exchange of insults, the president remains optimistic. He posted on Truth Social at 1:00 a.m. Monday, “Iran really wants to make a deal. He encouraged his critics to just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end – It always does! President DJT.”
Published: Jun 3, 2026 04:00 pm