Whether to Continue the Iran War Triggers Row Between Trump and Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are reported to be at odds over the future of the war against Iran. The rift was sparked by a decision related to the Iran war. The two allied leaders reportedly had a tense telephone conversation on Tuesday, 19 May, while discussing the future of the war against Iran. Netanyahu reportedly pressed for an intensified campaign, while Trump insisted that a deal remains possible. American media outlets, including TRT World, reported on Friday, 22 May 2026, that the tense call occurred a few days after Trump told Netanyahu in a Sunday call on 17 May that he was prepared to launch a fresh strike against Iran. However, Trump abruptly announced the cancellation of an attack planned for Tuesday, 19 May local time, citing requests from Gulf-state leaders allied to the United States in the region—Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Netanyahu Blames Trump. In a one-hour phone call on Tuesday, 19 May, according to US and Israeli officials, Netanyahu told Trump that delaying the strike was a mistake and urged the US President to proceed with the military action as originally planned. ‘These differences are clear: Trump wants to see whether a deal can be reached, but Netanyahu expects something else,’ said an Israeli official who spoke to CNN. Axios was the first to report the tense call. On Wednesday 20 May, Trump claimed that negotiations with Iran had reached an advanced stage. ‘We are at the final stage of negotiations with Iran. We’ll see what happens,’ he told reporters. ‘We will reach a deal or we will do some rather rough things. But hopefully it won’t come to that,’ Trump said. Netanyahu, who has consistently advocated a far more aggressive military stance against Tehran, grew increasingly frustrated with Trump’s delays, which he argued only strengthen Iran’s position. Trump’s Response. The sense of frustration within Netanyahu’s inner circle, according to another Israeli source cited by CNN, was rising. Senior Tel Aviv officials were said to be urging a fresh attack and expressing anger at what they described as Tehran’s diplomatic delay. This is not the first time a dispute has occurred between Trump and Netanyahu over the war against Iran. US officials have previously acknowledged that the two leaders do not always share the same goals regarding Tehran. When asked about his phone call with Netanyahu, Trump asserted his control over the situation. ‘He will do whatever I want,’ Trump said, referring to Netanyahu.