President Donald Trump is fed up with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to coordinate military strikes while Trump attempts to broker a ceasefire in the war against Hamas, the Daily Caller reported. Trump has made his frustrations known to aides, though he has resolved to publicly support Netanyahu.
In a conversation reportedly overheard by White House officials and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump complained that Netanyahu is "f---ing me" after Israeli strikes on Qatar failed to take out Hamas leaders. This comment is consistent with other reports stating that Israel barely gave Trump a heads-up that they were about to occur.
This information was shared as an exclusive published in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. The post to X, formerly Twitter, with the story appears to goad Trump on his inaction. "President Trump is frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The question is whether he will ever be angry enough to do anything about it," the caption said.
President Trump is frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The question is whether he will ever be angry enough to do anything about it. https://t.co/MQ6xZOtHBF
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) September 18, 2025
As the Journal noted, Trump has remained steadfast in his support for Israel and its leader, even as it seems Netanyahu seems to be getting the best of him. This is uncharacteristic of Trump, who is known to value loyalty above all else, and it raises the question of whether this unwavering support will continue.
"It’s slightly baffling and counterintuitive. Netanyahu’s moves have prolonged the Gaza war, created trouble for Trump with other U.S. allies in the region, and made the expansion of the Abraham Accords excruciatingly difficult," said Shalom Lipner, who served under several Israeli prime ministers over the course of 25 years and now serves at a Washington, D.C. think tank.
Others believe that Trump's usual tactics of wearing down world leaders with criticism and strong-arm tactics haven't had the same effect on Netanyahu. "I’m mystified and so are many other Israelis,” said Itamar Rabinovich, who served in the Clinton administration as an Israeli ambassador to the U.S.
"He’s under siege and makes mistakes. The only thing that’s really working for him is Trump’s support," Rabinovich said of Netanyahu.
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official called any rift "fake news" and noted that the U.S. and Israel share a common mission and values. Both men also see themselves as political outsiders who have had to fight the establishment and endure criminal prosecution.
Another reason for Trump's reluctance to rebuke Netanyahu in public is the shifting support for Israel in the U.S. In the past, Democrats were more inclined to support intervention on behalf of Israel, but this has flipped, with two-thirds of Republicans now viewing Netanyahu more favorably. In contrast, support from the Democratic Party has declined over the years.
Part of Trump's allegiance stems from his efforts during his first term to broker the Abraham Accords as he continues to foster friendlier relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. For his part, Netanyahu has recognized Trump as a strong ally and leans on Trump as "the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House."
At least on the surface, this has continued despite the dispute over the timing and the apparent lack of notice regarding the Qatar strikes. Trump said last week that he wasn't informed beforehand while his White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president only knew because the U.S. military was watching in real time.
Some believe that Trump was more outraged that the strikes did not take out their intended targets. Still, Netanyahu explained that these strikes are part of Israel's strategy of retaliating against those who commit these attacks. "This is the principle we established. It’s a principle we follow. It hasn’t changed."
The issues in Israel are complex and have been ongoing for decades, regardless of what's happening in the U.S. Trump seems committed to peace between Israel and Hamas, and he's not the hothead his critics make him out to be. Trump will give a measured reaction and will stick with Netanyahu as long as he thinks it's still in America's best interest.
