Trump cuts off communication with Netanyahu, Israel media says

US President Donald Trump has decided to end communication with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Israeli media reports published yesterday, 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.

No US or Israeli official has issued any formal comment regarding Cozin’s statements. However, 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 Middle East 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 Minister, Ron Dermer, and senior Republican lawmakers in Washington. During that meeting, Dermer reportedly told them what Trump “ought to do,” which angered the US 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 the Middle East “without waiting for him.”

The sources added that Trump is particularly interested in decisions that would advance US interests, especially concerning Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

According to Israel Hayom, some of the planned steps are believed to relate to the long-anticipated US-brokered normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The report noted that “Trump believes Netanyahu is stalling on making the necessary decisions. For this reason, the US President is unwilling to wait for Israel to act as expected, and has decided to move forward without him.”

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