Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu call: US President confirms comments, Israeli Prime Minister brushes off row

Fresh details have emerged about Donald Trump’s explosive phone call with Benjamin Netanyahu as the US President reveals why he called him “f..king crazy”.

On Monday, Mr Trump desperately attempted to calm the escalating situation between Israel and Lebanon, something that pushed Iran to put US peace talks on hold.

Mr Trump picked up the phone, called Mr Netanyahu, and ripped into him, saying “everyone” hated him, and that the Israeli Prime Minister would be in prison if it wasn’t for him.

The details of the explosive call quickly leaked via US political outlet Axios, and this time, Mr Trump hasn’t denied to fiery exchange.

“You’re f..king crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass,” Mr Trump said during the call on Monday.

“Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,” he added.

Speaking to the New York Post on Wednesday, Mr Trump didn’t dispute his comments, however, attempted to downplay the intention.

Asked if he used those words, Mr Trump said: “I did”.

“I wouldn’t say angry, I was a little bit perturbed at his... constantly fighting with Lebanon,” Mr Trump told Pod Force One.

“At some point, I said ‘Bibi, we’ve got to stop this. We gotta stop it’.”

Mr Trump did need Mr Netanyahu to stop if he wanted to progress his Iran ceasefire talks.

“I have a very good relationship (with Mr Netanyahu), we’ve done well together,” Mr Trump said.

“I like Bibi a lot and I work very well with him.”

Mr Trump put the heated exchange down to the two leaders being wartime leaders.

“I’m a wartime president, he’s a war time prime minister. Very important part of the world,” Mr Trump added.

It was an interesting move by the US President, a fierce supporter of Israel and Mr Netanyahu to confirm the comments and not use his beloved “fake news” excuse.

It also meant that the Israeli Prime Minister was forced to answer questions on the exchange.

Mr Netanyahu , after Mr Trump confirmed his comments, was swiftly asked for his side of the story.

“I’m not going to get into details about our conversations,” Mr Netanyahu told CNBC.

“If you think this is a crisis, you should be in some other conversations.

“We’ve always found a way... we have so many agreements. We agree on the main things.

“We want to get Iran, the nuclear program in Iran, finished.”

Mr Netanyahu claimed the US and Israel were aligned on preventing Iran’s ability to threaten the Middle East and the world.

“We want to make sure that Iran doesn’t pose a threat to Israel, to the Middle East, to America,” he said.

“That is doesn’t develop nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them not only to Israel and every capital in Europe, but to every city in the United States. That is our common goal.

“We have common goals, sometimes we have, as with the best of families, these tactical disagreements. We always find a way to work them out. We do so as great friends.

“We can disagree in the morning and by the afternoon have common action.”

Following Mr Trump’s explosive call with Mr Netanyahu, the US, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a new ceasefire deal.

The US Government has announced a new ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon has been brokered, with new pilot zones to be created for the Lebanese Armed Forces to control.

“As a result of the US led negotiations, Israel and Lebanon agreed to the implementation of a ceasefire. The ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector,” a joint statement from the US, Lebanon and Israel read.

“The two sides agreed with the guidance of the United States to swiftly advance the creation of pilot zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors.

“These steps will enable progress towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement.”

The announcement claimed that “all countries” involved had “reaffirmed” that the future relationship between Israel and Lebanon needed to be decided by the two sovereign governments, rejecting attempts by any “state or non-state actor”.

The joint statement also stated that “Israel and Lebanon reaffirmed that they have no hostile intent toward one another and committed to continuing direct negotiations to build confidence, resolve all outstanding issues, and work toward a comprehensive agreement between the two countries”.