SAEDNEWS: Although Donald Trump is known as a staunch supporter of Israel, a new Axios exposé reveals that members of his inner circle label Benjamin Netanyahu “unpredictable, extremist and crazy,” exposing a deep, private fracture in their relationship.
According to Saed News, in an exclusive Saed News report, despite Donald Trump’s reputation as a fervent backer of Israel, a shocking new Axios disclosure has sent political circles reeling: advisors close to Trump refer to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “crazy.”
The Saed News report shows that Trump’s team—including senior campaign advisers—considers Netanyahu to be “unpredictable, extremist and crazy,” believing that his actions harm not only Israel but also Trump’s standing on the international stage.
At first glance, this characterization may seem surprising. Wasn’t Trump the president who moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and green‑lit West Bank annexation plans? So what has changed that his own advisers view Netanyahu this way?
Trump’s relationship with Netanyahu, though apparently warm during his presidency, soured after Trump’s 2020 election defeat. Trump’s main ire flared when Netanyahu was among the first world leaders to congratulate Joe Biden on his victory. In an interview with an Israeli outlet, Trump said, “I never thought Netanyahu would betray me like this.”
In American politics, personal ties carry enormous weight. Many decisions—especially in the Trump White House—were filtered through personal relationships. Consequently, the personal rift between these two right‑wing figures gradually deepened into a political schism.
What has further inflamed this divide is the recent Gaza war. Trump’s advisers argue that Netanyahu’s handling of Hamas and his indifference to international pressure have tarnished Israel’s image worldwide. According to an informed source cited by Axios, “His extremist actions have not only put America in a difficult position but have also made things harder for the next president.”
These remarks may signal a fundamental shift: Republicans, once unconditionally pro‑Israel, are now seeking to “rebalance” the relationship.
With the 2024 U.S. presidential election looming, Trump is striving to present himself to American voters as a pragmatic, peace‑seeking leader opposed to endless wars. But blind allegiance to Netanyahu—accused of war crimes and extremism—could undermine that image, especially among younger voters, minorities, and even devout constituencies disgusted by recent violence in Gaza.
For this reason, Trump’s team is tactically distancing itself from the Israeli government in order to maintain traditional pro‑Israel lobbying support while avoiding the political fallout of full‑throated backing for Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has long been known as a survival‑savvy politician and master public‑relations strategist. Yet critics now say he is no longer acting in Israel’s national interest but is taking high‑risk gambits solely to retain power: from alliances with extremist religious parties to endorsing ruthless attacks on civilians.
In Trump’s advisers’ view, these actions threaten to collapse the entire “Middle East peace” project launched under the Abraham Accords during Trump’s presidency. In other words, Netanyahu is no longer a strategic ally but a costly political liability.
Although the Axios report focuses on Trump’s inner circle, skepticism toward Netanyahu is not confined to Republicans. The Biden administration has also adopted a more cautious, conditional approach to supporting Tel Aviv.
Think tanks in Washington are now debating whether to reassess U.S. relations with Israel. Prominent senators from both parties have even called for halting arms shipments to Israel unless it adheres to international law.
In international relations, some leaders deliberately cultivate unpredictability to intimidate adversaries. Netanyahu has employed this tactic for years—but it appears to have backfired, as even his closest allies now deem him a danger.
When your former best ally—Trump’s own team—labels you “crazy,” it’s a sign that Tel Aviv must undertake a profound policy reevaluation. In global politics, the distance between “crazy” and “leader” can be as narrow as a single crisis.
Axios’s recent bombshell may seem like mere political gossip, but it carries serious implications for the balance of power in U.S.–Israel ties. Trump—once the emblem of unconditional support for Israel—is now maneuvering to distance himself from a controversial figure in Netanyahu, likely for pragmatic electoral reasons rather than moral ones.
In politics, the line between “crazy” and “leader” is often just one crisis away.
