Trump Calls Netanyahu “F–King Crazy,” Says He’s Perturbed Over Lebanon Fighting

President Trump confirmed in a “Pod Force One” interview that he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “f–king crazy” during a Monday phone call, while insisting, “We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him.”

Trump said he was “a little bit perturbed” at Netanyahu’s “constantly fighting with Lebanon,” and PBS reported that he linked the tensions to holding back peace talks with Iran.

ABC News

In the same interview, Trump said he believes Iran’s supreme leader is “involved, absolutely” in decisions on how to end the war, and he suggested he would like to meet Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei “at some point, depending on how it all works out.”

Trump also said he remains optimistic about reaching a deal with Iran “fairly quickly,” while arguing the US economy is resilient despite predictions of sharply higher oil prices.

The New York Post reported that Trump said the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz could remain in place through Labor Day on 7 September, and he said, “I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly.”

PBS said Trump told The New York Post’s “Pod Force One” that he and Netanyahu are both “wartime” leaders, and it quoted Trump: “We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him.”

In the New York Post account of the interview, Trump said he believes Khamenei is “involved, absolutely” in making decisions about how to end the war, and he added, “They have a lot of respect for him.”

Ahram Online

Trump told Miranda Devine he expects the war to “resolve itself fairly quickly,” and he said he would like to meet Khamenei, “and we probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out.”

The New York Post also reported that a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz as early as this week, and it described Trump’s view that the blockade might last through Labor Day.

Al Jazeera reported that Axios said Trump called Netanyahu “f***ing crazy” and berated him over Israel’s escalation in Lebanon, while Ryan Costello of the National Iranian American Council Action (NIAC) said political observers have grown to “mock” reports of closed-door anger.

PBS said Trump remained noncommittal about a timeline for settling the Iran conflict and suggested the Strait of Hormuz might stay blocked through the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 7, while insisting the strait be reopened for shipments of oil and natural gas.

The New York Post reported that Trump dismissed predictions of even higher oil prices by saying, “Everyone said it was going to be $300, $400 a barrel, it’s $98 a barrel,” and it tied the energy pinch to gasoline prices and inflation.

Al Jazeera said the conflict had sent gasoline prices soaring in the US and fueled inflation, and it described Tehran and Washington as having tested the ceasefire through back-and-forth attacks.

PBS reported that talks have dragged on as mediators seek to extend a fragile ceasefire into a more enduring truce, and it said Iran insists any potential truce in the war there must also quell fighting in Lebanon.

The Statesman reported that Trump said he was “perturbed” with Netanyahu and quoted him: “I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon,” while also repeating Trump’s claim that he spoke to Netanyahu and Hezbollah and they agreed “not to attack each other.”