U.S. President Donald Trump publicly criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, hours before the two leaders were due to meet at the White House.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said Netanyahu should have raised concerns privately about Iran’s underground Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility rather than discussing the issue publicly.
“I heard Bibi announce that. I said, ‘Why don’t you just tell it to me? Why do you have to announce it to the world?'” Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.
Trump suggested Netanyahu’s comments were aimed at encouraging the United States to remain involved in the conflict with Iran.
“No, I don’t need Bibi to tell me that. Bibi is telling me that because he wants me to stay involved,” Trump said, adding that the United States was fully aware of developments at the site.
He said the U.S. military had already destroyed much of Iran’s military infrastructure but warned that the Pickaxe Mountain facility remained a potential target.
“We’ll have to take out Pickaxe if we don’t make a deal … we’ll take it out very easily,” Trump said.
The remarks followed Trump’s defence of Türkiye on Monday after criticism from Israeli officials over potential U.S. arms sales to Ankara. Trump described President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a friend and said no country would dictate what military equipment the United States could sell.
Trump and Netanyahu were scheduled to meet later on Tuesday, with Iran, Gaza and broader regional security expected to dominate their discussions.