Trump‑Netanyahu ties strain Israel‑US relationship

Israeli media describe the relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as increasingly resembling a political feud. A planned personal meeting requested by Netanyahu failed to materialise, and the episode was quickly eclipsed by new Middle‑East crises.

Trump, once credited by a large share of Israelis for the October release of Hamas‑held hostages and enjoying near‑mythic status, has seen his standing plunge. A poll by the Israeli Institute for Democracy showed support for Trump as the primary guarantor of Israel’s security drop from about 60% in March to 28% in the latest survey, a decline of 32 points. Trump has publicly rebuked Netanyahu, calling him “crazy” and portraying him as a subordinate, while Israeli right‑wing voters view Netanyahu as a hesitant leader and some of his base demand a more aggressive stance toward Lebanon, Gaza and Iran. The deteriorating ties are influencing Israeli public opinion and could affect future Israeli‑U.S. policy coordination.