Before Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday, thanking Benjamin Netanyahu for “turning his troops around” and announcing a Lebanon ceasefire, the two men had already spoken privately. Two US officials and a third source familiar with the conversation later described the call to Axios, and what was said behind closed doors sounded very different from the version that later appeared online.
According to those sources, Trump opened the conversation by asking Netanyahu: “What the f*** are you doing?” The exchange reportedly became more heated from there. “You’re f***ing crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,” Trump reportedly told the Israeli prime minister.
One US official described it as one of Trump’s worst conversations with Netanyahu since returning to office. Sources said Trump’s frustration centered on one issue in particular, as he believed Netanyahu’s decision to expand military activity in Lebanon was putting the Iran peace negotiations at risk.
Questions around Lebanon had already become a growing issue in the talks. Netanyahu had ordered Israeli forces to strike Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district, and Iran had reportedly begun pulling back communication with US negotiators through Pakistani intermediaries, arguing that the escalation violated ceasefire conditions.
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Tehran also raised the pressure surrounding the talks. State affiliated media reported: “No dialogue will take place” until Israel withdraws from Lebanon and stops attacks in Gaza. Iran also threatened to fully seal the Strait of Hormuz and activate the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The agreement Trump had described as nearly complete for weeks suddenly appeared far less settled.
Publicly, Trump later described a much calmer version of the day.
“I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu today, asking him not to go into a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon. He turned his Troops around. Thank you Bibi! I also had a conversation with Representatives of the Leaders of Hezbollah, and they agreed to stop shooting at Israel, and its soldiers. Likewise, Israel agreed to stop shooting at them. Let’s see how long that lasts — Hopefully it will be for ETERNITY!”
𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗝. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 – 𝟬𝟱:𝟰𝟳 𝗣𝗠 𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝟬𝟲.𝟬𝟭.𝟮𝟲
🚨HUGE: President Trump posts that he spoke to Bibi Netanyahu of Israel and got him to turn his troops around from Beirut and in return that Hezbollah has agreed to stop firing at… pic.twitter.com/pd8LMud9lz
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) June 1, 2026
That version quickly became harder to square with statements released afterward.
“I spoke this evening with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not cease attacking our towns and our citizens, Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut,” Netanyahu later said in a statement released by his office.
He also confirmed that the IDF would continue operations in southern Lebanon as planned. The Lebanese Embassy in Washington separately said Hezbollah had accepted the US ceasefire proposal, although Hezbollah later said it would disregard the agreement. Israeli military operations have continued.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
