WASHINGTON (Dispatches) – U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to end communication with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Israeli media reports, due to concerns that Netanyahu has been manipulating him.
Yanir Cozin, a correspondent for Israeli Army Radio, said on X that Trump made the decision due to suspicions that Netanyahu was attempting to manipulate him.
His remarks echoed a report published the same day by Israel Hayom, a newspaper affiliated with the Israeli right, which said there has been a significant breakdown in personal relations and growing mutual disappointment between Trump and Netanyahu.
Cozin further noted that Trump intends to move forward on West Asia issues without waiting for Netanyahu, highlighting a widening gap in the leaders’ positions on regional matters.
He also referred to a meeting that took place in April between Israel’s strategic affairs ninister Ron Dermer and senior Republican lawmakers in Washington. During that meeting, Dermer reportedly told them what Trump “ought to do,” which angered the U.S. president.
According to Cozin, Dermer’s actions prompted Trump’s inner circle to turn him against Netanyahu.
Earlier on Thursday, Israel Hayom quoted sources close to Trump as saying he is “disappointed” with Netanyahu and plans to proceed with “steps” in West Asia “without waiting for him.”
The sources added that Trump is particularly interested in decisions that would advance U.S. interests, especially concerning Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries.
According to Israel Hayom, some of the planned steps are believed to relate to the long-anticipated U.S.-brokered normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
The report noted that “Trump believes Netanyahu is stalling on making the necessary decisions. For this reason, the U.S. President is unwilling to wait for Israel to act as expected, and has decided to move forward without him.”