President Donald Trump confirmed he has had a “little dispute” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Lebanon, saying he urged the Israeli leader to take a “softer touch” in dealing with Hezbollah.
Trump praised Netanyahu as a strong partner, but made clear he believes Israel has gone too far in some of its responses inside Lebanon.
“In all fairness to Bibi, Netanyahu happens to be a good man, gets a little excited sometimes, but he happens to be a very good man,” Trump said.
The president said his relationship with Netanyahu remains strong, even as the two leaders disagree over how Israel is handling threats from Hezbollah.
“We’ve had an amazing partnership. He’s been an amazing prime minister who we have a little dispute over Lebanon. And I said, ‘you can do a little softer touch, Bibi. You don’t have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it. That’s from Hezbollah.’ But it’s been an amazing partnership. But he will say we’re the big partner and he’s the very small partner,” Trump continued.
Trump stressed that Israel has every right to defend itself, but argued the response should be more measured when attacks do not cause serious damage.
🚨 NOW: President Trump says he told Israel PM Netanyahu, “You don’t have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that’s from Hezbollah! [in Lebanon]” pic.twitter.com/zkWN0RzBao
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 17, 2026
“I think they could do better with respect to Hezbollah. I’m not saying they shouldn’t protect themselves. I’m saying when two drones are shot into the desert and drop harmlessly, you don’t have to knock down buildings in Beirut. They could behave there. And frankly, they could do a better job. I, I love them as a partner. They were terrific. But they could do a much better job with Hezbollah on that. I don’t think they’re doing well,” Trump added.
The comments marked a notable moment for Donald Trump, who has long positioned himself as one of Israel’s strongest allies while also pushing for a broader Middle East peace deal.
His message to Netanyahu was blunt: defend Israel, but do not turn every Hezbollah provocation into a wider disaster for Lebanon.
Trump also expressed sympathy for the Lebanese people, describing the country as a once-great cultural center that has been devastated for decades.
“I feel very bad for Lebanon. Lebanon’s been, you know, it was a great culture. It was a great. They had the professors, the doctors, the lawyers. It was an incredible culture, maybe the highest in the Middle East for years and years, centuries. And for the last 50, 60 years, they have been just trashed. They have been they have been living in hell,” he said.
The president’s remarks suggested he is trying to keep pressure on Hezbollah while warning Israel not to hand its enemies a propaganda victory through heavy-handed strikes.
For Trump, the disagreement does not appear to signal a break with Netanyahu.
Instead, he framed it as a candid conversation between close allies, with the United States still clearly positioned as the senior partner in the relationship.
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