 "President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive for a news conference in the East Room of the White House, on Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington. AP File")
The Trump administration is increasingly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, known as “Bibi”, over his aggressive stance in the conflict with Syria, Axios has reported.
A White House official, speaking to Axios, said, “Bibi acted like a madman. He bombs everything all the time. This could undermine what Trump is trying to do,” referring to a recent Israeli strike on the Syrian presidential palace.
The remarks come amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Damascus and southern Syria, where government forces have also been targeted. In a separate incident, Israeli forces reportedly struck the Holy Family Catholic Church compound, the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip.
According to another US official, President Donald Trump personally phoned Netanyahu following the Gaza church strike and demanded an explanation. “The feeling is that every day there is something new. What the f***?” the official told Axios.
These comments follow Netanyahu’s third visit to the United States in recent weeks, during which he held multiple meetings with Trump, including a dinner at the White House. However, despite the high-level engagement, there was no breakthrough in efforts to end the Gaza war.
A third White House official told Axios that scepticism towards Netanyahu is growing within the Trump team, describing the Israeli leader as “too impulsive and too disruptive.”
“Netanyahu is sometimes like a child who just won’t behave,” the official added.
Israeli government spokesperson Ziv Agmon did not respond to the remarks attributed to Trump and his aides.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIn the wake of the Israeli strike in Syria, the United States intervened to ease tensions. The U.S. Ambassador to Turkey announced a ceasefire agreement between the parties involved.
While the ceasefire temporarily paused further escalation, senior Trump administration officials remain alarmed by Netanyahu’s broader regional policies, Axios reported, citing six U.S. sources.