From the Liveblog of
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Report: Trump ‘disappointed’ with Netanyahu, will continue Middle East policy objectives without Israel
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
US President Donald Trump is disappointed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Hayom reports, citing two “senior sources close to the president.”
According to the Hebrew-language daily, in closed-door conversations Trump said he was going to make progress on his objectives in the Middle East without waiting for Israel.
On a deal with Saudi Arabia, Trump wants Israel to be a central part of an agreement, but “Netanyahu is delaying making the necessary decisions,” writes Israel Hayom’s Ariel Kahana, who interviewed Trump at Mar-A-Lago last year.
Trump is also still upset with Netanyahu and his circle over what he sees as an attempt to push the White House into military action against Iran’s nuclear program, say the sources.
Israeli officials were caught off guard by Trump’s announcement that the US had reached a ceasefire with the Houthis in Yemen this week, and by the start of US-Iran nuclear talks in April.
After the Houthi ceasefire announcement, Netanyahu and senior ministers have been emphasizing in recent statements that Israel “can defend itself by itself.”
The Times of Israel Community.