Trump Pressures Netanyahu Over Iran Deal, Straining U.S.-Israel Alliance

President Donald Trump is publicly criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he pursues a major diplomatic agreement with Iran, testing a relationship that Netanyahu himself once described as uniquely close. The tension marks an unprecedented public rupture, with Trump using rhetoric toward Netanyahu that no other American president has employed, including claims that Israel's existence depends on him personally and descriptions of Netanyahu as "crazy."

The conflict centers on recent Israeli military operations in Lebanon that Trump argues could undermine ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the regional war. Trump, facing domestic political pressure over the unpopularity of the conflict and rising gasoline prices, has made finalizing the Iran deal a priority. Speaking at the G7 summit in France on Tuesday, Trump stated: "Without the U.S., there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel because no other President was willing to do what I did." He demanded that Netanyahu "be more responsible with respect to Lebanon." An agreement is scheduled to be signed Friday in Geneva.

Netanyahu's four-decade relationship with successive U.S. administrations has produced friction before, but Trump's public condemnation stands alone in its directness and personal nature. According to Middle East policy expert Aaron David Miller, Trump is leveraging his influence to prevent Netanyahu from derailing negotiations that the president views as essential to his agenda.

The comments have divided responses across the political spectrum. Jewish Democratic Council of America leader Halie Soifer criticized Trump for framing Israel's existence as contingent on his personal involvement, calling it "deeply offensive." However, Republican Jewish Coalition President Matt Brooks characterized Trump's criticism as routine disagreement among allies, noting Trump's consistent support for Israel including the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and recent hostage returns from Gaza. Conservative pro-Israel advocate Mort Klein suggested Trump should have kept such criticism private.

The public rift reflects broader changes in traditional bipartisan support for Israel. While former President Biden and Vice President Harris criticized Netanyahu's handling of the Gaza war, they were more circumspect to avoid accusations of being anti-Israel. Trump's willingness to attack Netanyahu publicly underscores how his approach to Middle East policy differs from his predecessors, prioritizing the Iran negotiations over maintaining the appearance of unified support for the Israeli government.