Trump confirms calling Netanyahu ‘f**king crazy,’ says he was ‘perturbed’ by ‘constant fighting with Lebanon’

By Nava Freiberg

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3 June 2026, 1:37 pm

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Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.

FILE - President Donald Trump answers a question from a reporter at the end of a news conference with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, December 29, 2025. (AP/Alex Brandon)

US President Donald Trump confirms that he called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “fucking crazy” during a Monday phone call about Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah, but adds that he respects Netanyahu and works “very well” with him, during an hourlong interview on the “Pod Force One” podcast.

“I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon,” Trump tells podcast host Miranda Devine, while noting, “I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him.”

Trump’s “expletive-laden” rant at Netanyahu was first reported on Monday by Axios, and later denied by Israeli officials.