On Wednesday, June 3, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed in an interview on the New York Post podcast “Pod Force One” that he did indeed become emotionally upset and scolded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call this week due to the situation in Lebanon spiraling out of control. However, Trump also emphasized that he still maintains a good working relationship with Netanyahu.
Trump said Netanyahu’s continued military strikes on targets in Lebanon had made him quite angry.
“I wouldn’t say angry. I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon,” Trump said.
Israel’s military strikes against Hezbollah have become a major obstacle in U.S.–Iran negotiations. Tehran insists that Israel must stop its attacks on Hezbollah before the Strait of Hormuz is reopened and any agreement on Iran’s nuclear issue can be reached.
Despite disagreements on this issue, Trump stressed that his relationship with Netanyahu remains good. “We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him,” Trump said.
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‘I am a wartime president’
In the program aired Wednesday, Trump also described both himself and Netanyahu as leaders operating in wartime conditions.
“I am a wartime president,” Trump said. “He’s [Netanyahu] is a wartime prime minister.”
Trump said he is indeed concerned that an escalation of the Lebanon conflict could affect broader Middle East peace arrangements, but he remains optimistic about the prospects for U.S.–Iran talks.
He said he believes the two sides will reach an agreement soon.
Addressing market concerns that a Strait of Hormuz crisis could cause energy prices to surge, Trump said such fears were somewhat exaggerated.
“Everyone said it was going to be $300, $400 a barrel, it’s $98 a barrel but that’s not a big price to pay if you look at the possibility of them having a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
Trump revealed that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) being negotiated between the United States and Iran could be reached as soon as this week. If finalized, the agreement would help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease inflationary pressure caused by tight energy supplies.
However, he also acknowledged that the negotiations have not been smooth, with several setbacks already occurring.
The report said this is partly due to shifting positions within Iran, and partly because Iran’s internal decision-making process is complex. In order to ensure the safety of top leadership, important information often must pass through multiple layers, reducing communication efficiency.
American blockade continues
When asked whether a U.S. maritime blockade of Iranian ports could last until Labor Day (September 7), Trump replied: “I don’t know. I mean, I think it could be, but I think it’s unlikely.”
“I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly,” he said, adding that U.S.–Iran negotiations are “rapidly evolving.”
“They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon, and lots of other good things are going to happen.”
Over the past several weeks, Trump has been actively pushing to end the conflict in the Middle East.
Trump also spoke about Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of current Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying he is absolutely involved in decision-making related to U.S.–Iran negotiations.
Speaking about the 56-year-old Iranian political figure, Trump also said he hopes to meet him in the future.
“Yeah, I’d like to meet him. I’d like to meet everybody. I’d like to meet him; we probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out.”
Trump has repeatedly said he could end the war immediately, but he prefers to end it through a friendly agreement.
“Now I have to make a determination, do we sign a deal, or do we do it the other way, and the other way is not nice,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran reportedly attacked Kuwait Airport, injuring 63 people and killing one. Seven of the injured required emergency surgery. The casualties included civilians, staff, and passengers.
