Trump Blasts Israel Amid Iran Ceasefire, Stoking Feud

A rare outburst from former President Donald Trump revealed ‍simmering tensions with Israel following a fragile ceasefire ‍with Iran. ⁢Trump’s public display of anger raises questions about the future of the ⁣U.S.-Israel relationship.

Standing on the White House lawn,‍ Trump responded to questions ‍about alleged⁣ ceasefire violations by both Israel and Iran with an expletive-laden tirade. He said the two nations had been fighting “for so long and so hard that they don’t ⁢no what the⁢ f*** they’re doing.” He then stormed off to his helicopter.

Moments earlier,Trump repeatedly voiced ⁤displeasure with Israel,a key U.S. ally. “I’m not happy with Israel,” he said, agitated. “When I say, ‘OK, now you have 12 hours’, you don’t go out in the first⁤ hour and just drop everything you have on [Iran]. So I’m not happy with them.”

Barbara⁢ Leaf,former assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs,called Trump’s public rebuke of Israel “pretty extraordinary.” She told The Independent, “Trump is clearly very personally invested in ⁤this. It’s fragile…you’ve halted things right in the midst⁤ of a hot conflict.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has publicly clashed with leaders considered U.S.allies. The most infamous incident was the Febuary press conference with Ukrainian President⁤ Volodymyr Zelensky, which descended into a shouting match.

The recent outburst follows months of growing tension between the U.S. and Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched multiple regional bombing campaigns, often against Trump’s wishes, despite Trump campaigning as a “presidential peacemaker.”

Public opinion in the U.S.also reflects this shift. A Gallup study in March showed support for Israel at a 25-year low, seemingly due to the war in⁣ Gaza. Despite the Hamas attacks in October 2023,Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza have⁣ taken a toll on public⁤ sentiment.

Netanyahu’s statement following Trump’s outburst sought to downplay Israel’s post-ceasefire actions,claiming ⁣they ⁤targeted a single radar installation. This contrasted with Defense Minister Israel Katz’s earlier rhetoric about striking targets in Tehran.

Netanyahu⁢ concluded by saying Israel ⁤would refrain from further attacks, adding that⁢ “President Trump expressed his grate recognition for Israel… and also his confidence in the ‍stability of the ceasefire.”

Weeks before the conflict, U.S.intelligence suggested Israel was preparing to attack Iran. Dennis Ross, a former special assistant to barack Obama, said sharing that intelligence was unlikely to “facilitate or ⁤encourage such a strike.”

Sources told Reuters that the Pentagon began drawing up⁣ contingency plans to assist Israel if it struck Iran’s nuclear facilities. While Trump didn’t⁢ explicitly approve the action, Israel bombed Iran days before talks between Iran and the U.S. in Oman.

Earlier, Trump notably didn’t visit Israel during his ⁣first major foreign trip to the⁤ Middle East. Instead, he signed deals with Gulf leaders and boasted about receiving a free plane from Qatar.

Around the same time,his team negotiated directly with Hamas over hostage releases ⁤and a potential ceasefire,without consulting Israel.

While the conflict is currently “halted,”⁢ in Leaf’s words,it is⁣ indeed “not settled.” One unresolved problem remains: Israel’s relationship with the ‍U.S.

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