U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had differing objectives in certain aspects of the conflict with Iran, suggesting that Israel's geographical proximity to Iran partly explains this divergence in perspectives.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump noted, "Netanyahu is a great person, but sometimes he gets a little too carried away," referring to the differences that arose between the two sides during the handling of the Iranian issue.
Trump's comments followed his announcement of the official signing of a memorandum of understanding with Iran during a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte at the Palace of Versailles in France.
The U.S. President's remarks highlight existing differences in approach between Washington and Tel Aviv regarding the conflict with Iran, despite the strong alliance between both nations.
Earlier, Trump had described Netanyahu as a "good man" who occasionally gets "a little excited," while praising the "wonderful partnership" between them, thereby softening his tone after previous sharp criticisms of the Israeli leader.
Trump added, "We have a wonderful partnership," describing their disagreement over Lebanon as a "small difference."
Sunday Messages
Last Sunday, Trump sent a stern message to Netanyahu following an Israeli strike on Beirut, expressing his discontent over its execution shortly before an expected agreement with Iran.
He further expressed in comments to Channel 12 in Israel that he was unhappy with the military operation, considering its timing upsetting, especially since it preceded what he described as an important agreement.
Trump questioned, "Why did Bibi carry out this strike?" adding that Hezbollah's firing did not result in casualties, and the Israeli response in Beirut strongly displeased him.