Trump airs frustration with Netanyahu before Oval Office meeting

Donald Trump has used a TV interview to publicly express his frustration with Benjamin Netanyahu's apparent efforts to pressure him to keep attacking Iran.In the latest sign of shaky relations between the war-entangled leaders, Mr Trump voiced his annoyance just before a meeting with Mr Netanyahu, who was in Washington for a memorial service for senator Lindsey Graham.The New York Post had earlier reported that Mr Netanyahu was planning to use the meeting to present evidence that Iran was building up its Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facilities.Asked about this on Fox News, Mr Trump said:"I don't need Bibi [Netanyahu] to tell me that. Bibi is telling me that because he wants me to stay involved."Mr Trump said Mr Netanyahu had "announced" the information about Pickaxe Mountain, though it was not clear what he meant. The New York Post report had cited an unnamed source in Jerusalem."I heard Bibi announced that. I said, 'Why didn't you just tell it to me? Why do you have to announce it to the world?'"I know exactly what's going on at Pickaxe. It's not a big problem. We took out their nuclear sites, and we'll have to take Pickaxe if we don't make a deal."His comments were later clipped up and shared online by the White House's "Rapid Response" X account.Public support for Israel has been in steep decline in the US. In recent AP-NORC polling, only 20 per cent of respondents said they had a favourable view of Mr Netanyahu, compared to 38 per cent with an unfavourable view and 41 per cent who did not express a view either way.'A little difference'In the five months since the start of the war with Iran, Mr Trump's strained patience with Mr Netanyahu has been increasingly on display.Israel's ongoing attacks on Lebanon, undermining an early ceasefire deal, prompted Mr Trump to tell Mr Netanyahu he was "f***ing crazy", according to reports.He later said publicly that Mr Netanyahu must be "more responsible with respect to Lebanon".A preliminary ceasefire deal, signed by Mr Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian less than two weeks ago, angered many members of Mr Netanyahu's government.The deal was quickly undermined by Iranian hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz and US strikes on Iran. Since then, Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch massive attacks on Iranian infrastructure if a peace deal is not reached.But in his Fox News interview, Mr Trump acknowledged such actions would hurt civilians."In less than, I would say, two hours, most of the bridges, the major bridges will all be gone. And the power plants in one day," he said."And then there's always the desalination plants. And who am I hurting then? I'm hurting the people. So I'm not looking to do that."Mr Trump ordered a pause on attacks at the weekend.On Monday, local time, he said the US and Iran had resumed "good talks". When asked if he and Mr Netanyahu were still aligned on the war on Iran, he said: "We have a little difference, but pretty close."The Trump-Netanyahu meeting was the eighth between the pair since the start of their war with Iran.Mr Trump also held Oval Office talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was also in Washington for Senator Graham's funeral.The meetings were closed to the media. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said both meetings were "positive and productive".