Trump and Netanyahu Clash Over Iran Strategy During Phone Call
US President Donald Trump greets Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 4, 2025. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump and Netanyahu Clash Over Iran Strategy During Phone Call

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a contentious phone call last week over how to confront Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to multiple reports citing senior officials. While both leaders agreed that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon, they reportedly clashed over the strategy to achieve that goal. President Trump is said to have pushed for a diplomatic resolution, telling Netanyahu, “I believe in my ability to make a good deal,” while the Israeli leader maintained a tougher stance.

The dispute surfaced just as US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Jerusalem on the American president’s behalf to urge unity and support a negotiated solution. “President Trump specifically sent me here to speak with the prime minister about how negotiations are going and how important it is that we stay united and let this process play out,” Noem told Fox News. She described her meeting with Netanyahu as “very candid,” and said Netanyahu’s aides later told her they couldn’t recall a bilateral meeting that direct.

Netanyahu’s office initially released a readout of the call stating that both leaders “agreed on the need to ensure that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons,” downplaying the reported tension. But according to Israel’s Channel 12, President Trump made clear that he expects Netanyahu to work with the American administration in pursuit of a peaceful resolution, warning that the timeline for diplomacy was short.

President Trump continues to tout progress in US-Iran nuclear talks, though Tehran’s Foreign Ministry maintains that no new round of negotiations has been scheduled and has rejected calls to suspend uranium enrichment.

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