Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that "all the Jews are sick of you" during an expletive-laden phone call in September 2025 regarding a peace deal between Israel and Hamas, according to a new book.
The alleged exchange, detailed in Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan's "Regime Change," occurred when Trump, along with Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff, grew frustrated with Netanyahu following an Israeli strike on Qatar.
"Everybody's sick of you, Bibi. All the Jews are sick of you," Trump reportedly said to Netanyahu, attempting to persuade him to accept Kushner's 20-point peace plan. The book claims Trump added, referencing Kushner and Witkoff, "Even the two Jews on this call are sick of you."
Kushner later told an ally, "I’m f***ing out. The Israelis are crazy," according to the book. Trump reportedly insisted to Netanyahu, "You can't back out of this. I'm the best friend Israel ever had. Everybody hates you, and I've stood by you. This is a great deal for Israel."
Two days after the call, Trump and Netanyahu appeared together to announce the peace deal. The White House, when reached for comment by the Daily Mail, emphasized the strong relationship between Trump and Netanyahu and the bond between the U.S. and Israel. They also highlighted the partnership of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) during Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
Recent months have shown signs of strain in the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu. Trump asserted that Israel would have been "eviscerated" without his support and stated that he had to "keep Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu'a little bit sane," adding that Netanyahu has "a lot of respect for me."
Trump also told Axios that he could control Israel's actions in Lebanon, saying, "Yeah. They have a lot of respect for me – and do as I say."
In the past, Trump has expressed criticism of the high death toll from Israeli attacks, particularly against the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. "When two drones are shot into the desert and drop harmlessly, you don't have to knock down buildings in Beirut. They could behave better, and frankly they could do a better job," Trump said at a G7 summit press conference.
US intelligence agencies had warned that Netanyahu might attempt to "undermine" Trump's peace efforts, according to The Washington Post.
Vice President JD Vance has also become more critical of Israel recently, particularly as negotiations for peace with Iran progressed. Vance publicly admonished members of Netanyahu's cabinet who expressed disappointment with the ceasefire deal. Vance stated, "Donald J Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who's sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time."
He advised Israeli cabinet members to "wake up and smell the reality," emphasizing that the United States is Israel's "only powerful ally left in the world." Vance specifically criticized Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, questioning their approach and stating, "You're a country of nine million people. You can't just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have."