Trump Says Israel Would Not Exist Today Without His Intervention
The US president renewed his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister, claiming he can influence Israeli military decisions and describing himself as one of the most powerful leaders in history.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - US President Donald Trump has once again criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asserting that without his intervention Israel would not exist today and suggesting that he has the power to prevent Israeli military action against Lebanon.
In an interview published by Axios on Friday, Trump described his influence in sweeping terms while discussing the ongoing regional situation and his relationship with Israel.
"If it weren't for me, Israel would not exist today," Trump told Axios, adding that his relationship with Netanyahu remains positive but requires oversight. "It's good, but we have to keep him a little bit sane," he said.
The remarks came during a wide-ranging interview on "The Axios Show," where Trump argued that he has found "no limits" to his power since the war with Iran began.
According to Axios, Trump repeatedly framed power in terms of influence and compliance, claiming that world leaders recognize his authority.
He said leaders attending the G7 summit believed him when he jokingly referred to himself as "the boss," and argued that Israel has significant respect for him and will "do as I say."
Trump also praised Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing Xi as "all business" and Modi as "a very tough cookie."
Axios cited details from the forthcoming book Regime Change by journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, which describes Trump reviewing a document that compared his power to that of historical figures including Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong and Adolf Hitler.
According to the authors, Trump read portions of the document aloud and argued that many historical rulers lacked the global reach available to a modern US president.
The report said Trump later shared the document on Truth Social, describing its author as a "presidential historian." Haberman and Swan reported that the document was actually written by a longtime caddie and confidant of golfer Gary Player.
Trump also defended his approach toward ongoing negotiations with Iran, rejecting criticism from some Republican hardliners who oppose the emerging agreement.
Asked why the proposed deal does not fully match his original demands, Trump insisted the outcome still amounts to both "unconditional surrender" by Iran and "regime change."
He argued that extending the conflict could have produced severe global economic consequences, including what he described as the risk of a "worldwide depression."
Trump pointed to declining oil prices and gains in financial markets as evidence that pursuing an agreement rather than prolonging the conflict was the correct decision.
Despite his claims of broad authority, Trump acknowledged that economic realities remain a significant constraint on presidential decision-making.
"I have one primary wish as president ... I never want to be the late, great Herbert Hoover," Trump said, referring to the US president widely associated with the Great Depression.
His remarks come as diplomatic efforts continue across the Middle East and as discussions surrounding a potential agreement with Iran move closer to completion, while regional security concerns involving Israel and Lebanon remain unresolved.