Trump Claims Israel Would Have Been 'Crushed' Without His Intervention

President Donald Trump asserted that if he had not intervened, Israel would have been "crushed," referring to the United States' participation in the conflict against Iran.

In an interview with Axios on Friday, Trump added that he would be able to prevent Israel from launching attacks in Lebanon, explaining, "They respect me and do what I say."

Trump also mentioned having a good relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but noted, "We have to keep him somewhat reasonable."

Earlier on Friday, Trump described the memorandum of understanding he signed as an "unconditional surrender" by Iran and stated that "the war demonstrated America's military strength."

He denied that the Iranian conflict had weakened him in any way or revealed limits to his authority, affirming that his power "has no limits."

Public disagreements between the United States and Israel emerged following the announcement of a "preliminary" memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran. JD Vance, the U.S. Vice President's deputy, issued a "direct warning" to Israeli government members who criticized the agreement.

Vance emphasized that Trump remains Israel's "only remaining ally" and warned that opposing him would be unwise.

Axios reported that Vance delivered an "implicit threat" to Israel, indicating that if Israel undermined the Iran deal, American military support might be affected. The report revealed significant concern within Trump's team about Benjamin Netanyahu's government over the past three months.

Vance expressed frustration with Israeli officials who criticized Trump over the Iran deal, while noting he had not observed any anger from Netanyahu himself regarding the agreement.