US President Donald Trump said that the peace agreement signed between Washington and Tehran on Wednesday would remove what he described as the “greatest danger” to Israel, claiming that it significantly reduces the risk of a nuclear strike on Israel.
These statements were made to reporters at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.Trump revealed the details of his conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the signing, and said that the agreement aims to protect Israel from an existential threat. “Look, think about what Israel is going to get,” he said, speaking alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “They are not going to get hit with nuclear weapons.”
Trump added that he told Netanyahu directly that Israel’s central concern had been addressed.
He said: “Bibi, the biggest danger facing you was that they would drop a nuclear weapon in the middle of Israel. They would only need one nuclear weapon, and there would be no more from Israel.” Trump added: “Think about it, Baby. You got the best and most important thing you asked for,” stressing that he believes “they are happy” with the agreement.He also confirmed that he conveyed the same message privately to Netanyahu, saying the deal addresses Israel’s most important security concerns.
Trump’s comments came amid reports that Israel strongly opposes the deal. Instead of public criticism, Israeli officials expressed their concerns through briefings with journalists, Axios reported. Media outlets allied with Netanyahu, which were previously supportive of Trump, also turned critical, with one Channel 14 host reportedly calling Vice President Vance “despicable” and using anti-Semitic slurs against Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner over allegations of “treason.”Trump earlier criticized Israel’s military behavior in the region, saying Netanyahu would need to “be more responsible” regarding Lebanon, while noting that the issue related to Hezbollah could be better handled by Syria. “Without the United States, there would be no Israel,” he said at the G7 summit. “Without me, there would be no Israel, because there was no other president willing to do what I did.”The US President has become increasingly critical of Netanyahu, confirming in an interview earlier this month that he described the Israeli leader as “crazy” during a phone call.
Days earlier, he told Axios that Netanyahu “has no judgment” over the Beirut strike, which he said almost jeopardized the agreement.These statements come shortly after Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war, with the US administration issuing the official text of the agreement reached between Washington and Tehran. The agreement includes 14 articles that define the framework for negotiations to reach a final settlement.With the interim framework now in place, further negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and implementation mechanisms are expected.
