From the Liveblog of
Monday, June 15, 2026
Trump calls Netanyahu ‘very difficult guy,’ says attacks on Iran could resume if nuclear deal not reached
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US President Donald Trump tells The New York Times that if Iran fails to reach a final nuclear accord with the United States, he will restart military attacks on Tehran or make the United States “the guardian of the Middle East” in return for 20% of the region’s revenues.
Trump tells the Times in an interview that the agreement he reached with Iran would ultimately assure that the Strait of Hormuz is “permanently toll free.”
He also calls Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “very difficult guy” and claims the premier should be grateful. Israel was not involved in the negotiations over the just-announced US-Iran deal, and its terms have sparked profound concern among Israeli officials.
“He’s a very difficult guy,” Trump says regarding Netanyahu, “and to be honest with you, he should be very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn’t be around for two hours.”
The Times of Israel Community.