President Donald Trump marked his 80th birthday Sunday with a blunt and unusually public rebuke of one of America’s closest allies, directing profanity-laced criticism at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over military strikes that Trump says nearly derailed a pending peace agreement with Iran.
According to comments Trump made to Axios, the president was furious after learning Israel had launched strikes in Lebanon just as negotiators were attempting to finalize a deal intended to end the escalating conflict with Iran.
“It is so bad—I couldn’t believe it. An hour before we are supposed to sign the deal,” Trump said. He went on to criticize Netanyahu directly, saying he had “no f—ing judgement” and claiming he personally conveyed his frustration to the Israeli leader.
Trump Says Deal Is Still Within Reach
Despite the strikes, Trump insisted a peace agreement remains close.
The president told Axios that negotiations are still moving forward and that he believes a deal could be finalized within hours. Trump has repeatedly said the proposed agreement would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon while reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that has played a major role in recent spikes in global energy prices.
Trump argued that the agreement would ultimately benefit Israel by reducing the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions while lowering tensions across the region.
Iranian Officials Signal Skepticism
Iran has not publicly embraced Trump’s timeline.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, identified as Iran’s lead negotiator in discussions with the United States, suggested Israel’s actions could undermine confidence in Washington’s ability to deliver on any agreement.
“If you neither have the will nor the ability to execute your commitments, talking about the continuation of the path is not possible,” Ghalibaf wrote on social media.
The comments underscore the fragile state of negotiations, which have been repeatedly threatened by military activity across the region.
Public Plea for Restraint
Trump also took to Truth Social to criticize the timing of Israel’s military action.
“The attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran,” Trump wrote, adding that the moment could become “the beginning of a long and beautiful peace” if all sides exercise restraint.
The unusually harsh language directed at Netanyahu highlights growing tensions between Washington and Jerusalem as the administration pursues a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. While disagreements between U.S. and Israeli leaders are not uncommon, it is rare for an American president to publicly describe an Israeli prime minister in such blunt terms.
Trump maintains that the deal remains within reach. But the latest round of strikes serves as a reminder that even the most advanced negotiations can be thrown off course when events on the ground begin moving faster than diplomats can react.
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