From time to time, President Donald Trump has publicly taken a hard line toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Tuesday, for instance, while speaking live via phone on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” the president appeared to bristle when co-host Ainsley Earhardt mentioned reports of what Netanyanu might say, in particular the Iran-related intelligence he might share, when he arrives at the White House for a long-sought meeting this afternoon.
“I don’t need Bibi to tell me that,” Trump replied in a clip posted to the social media platform X. “Bibi’s telling me that because he wants me to stay involved.”
The president, of course, meant “stay involved” in the Iran War, which began exactly five months ago.
Earhardt cited Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain. According to the New York Post, Netanyahu will provide Trump with intelligence that Iran has begun fortifying the site, presumably for nuclear activities.
Hence the president’s apparent irritation.
“We have the finest — because of Space Force — we have the greatest cameras in the world focused on — we know exactly what’s going on,” Trump added.
Do you think Trump is genuinely irritated with Netanyahu, or is he simply playing hardball?
Then, the president elaborated on his displeasure with the Israeli prime minister.
“No, I heard Bibi announce that,” Trump continued. “I said, ‘Why didn’t you just tell it to me? Why did you have to announce it to the world?”
Finally, the president assured Earhardt and the Fox News audience that he trusts American intelligence and will take action when necessary.
“I know exactly what’s going on at Pickaxe,” he reiterated. “It’s not a big problem. We took out their nuclear sites. And we’ll have to take out Pickaxe if we don’t make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, we’ll take it out very easily.”
AINSLEY: There are reports that Netanyahu is gonna talk to you about ongoing excavation at Pickaxe Mountain, construction vehicles paving new access roads, fortifications
TRUMP: Well, I don’t need Bibi to tell me that. Bibi is telling me that because he wants me to stay involved pic.twitter.com/d9tmTbyFXU
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 28, 2026
On X, Barak Ravid of Axios called Trump’s comments “a chilling message.”
🚨Three hours before their meeting President Trump on Fox News sends a chilling message to Netanyahu and claim’s Bibi is talking about Pickaxe mountain in Iran because he wants to convince him to stay involved in the war. He stressed Bibi should have spoke to him about it… https://t.co/QinwbQP1h2
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) July 28, 2026
Meanwhile, new polling showed that American Jews (the majority of whom identify as Democratic voters) have a more favorable view of Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City than they do of Netanyahu.
Tuesday’s remarks were hardly the first time Trump has appeared to either slight or chastise Netanyahu.
At last month’s G7 Summit in France, for instance, the president described his memorandum of understanding with Iran as something he agreed to without the help of his Israeli partners.
“We did send a copy to Israel, by the way,” Trump said in another clip posted to X.
President Trump:
– Israel could do a better job on Hezbollah
– Netanyahu ‘gets a little excited sometimes’
– I feel very bad for Lebanon
– Sent a copy of MoU to Israel
– Deal will be signed shortly, tomorrow may be the next day pic.twitter.com/GnuPEicQxF— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) June 17, 2026
Likewise, at the conclusion of last year’s 12-Day War between Iran and Israel, the president used an expletive to describe his frustration with both parties.
Moreover, during the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump announced on social media that he looked forward to meeting with Netanyahu. But the then-Republican presidential nominee also included in the announcement a screen shot of a typed letter from Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian National Authority, expressing best wishes following the first assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
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