Inside Trump and Netanyahu’s Complicated Relationship
6/23/202620 min
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cultivated a close relationship with President Donald Trump. But in recent weeks Trump has grown frustrated with Netanyahu over the war with Iran. The relationship has major ramifications for a region on the cusp of a potential peace deal, whose future could be undone by further military attacks by Israel. WSJ’s Josh Dawsey takes us inside the complex dynamic between the two leaders. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Further Listening:
- Iran Thinks It’s Winning the War
- Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding?
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsRyan Knutson· Host0:00
[instrumental music] Lately, President Donald Trump has been increasingly critical of one of America's closest allies.
Donald Trump· Soundbite0:11
[instrumental music] Without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel, because no one- More specifically, Trump has been calling out Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. I've had a great relationship with Bibi, but now Bibi has to, uh, be more responsible with respect to Lebanon.
Ryan Knutson· Host0:33
That's Trump at a press conference last week. He went on to criticize Netanyahu's tactics against one of Iran's allies in Lebanon, Hezbollah.
Donald Trump· Soundbite0:41
And too many people are being killed, and 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. That I can tell you.
Ryan Knutson· Host0:52
Their conversations in private have gotten heated, too. At one point, Trump told Netanyahu over the phone that he was, quote, "effing crazy." Why is the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu important?
Josh Dawsey· Guest1:06
Well, it's important because, A, it's one of, uh, you know, the United States' top allies, and B, the two men have been prosecuting this war together in Iran for the last four or five months.
Ryan Knutson· Host1:18
That's our colleague, Josh Dawsey.
Josh Dawsey· Guest1:20
They went in together. Uh, Netanyahu was critical, uh, to convincing the president that it was a good idea. Uh, the troops have been fighting together, and sort of