- Trump signed Iran peace deal; Netanyahu remained publicly silent.
- Trump asserted the agreement protects Israel from nuclear attack.
- Israeli officials reportedly view the deal as a strategic setback.
- Netanyahu-aligned media criticized Trump’s envoys over the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained publicly silent on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled and signed a peace agreement with Iran, a deal that many Israeli officials reportedly view as a strategic and political setback.
The United States and Iran signed a 14-point peace accord aimed at ending the four-month conflict that began on February 28. Following the signing ceremony, Trump argued that the agreement would reduce what he described as Israel’s greatest security threat.
Speaking to reporters in Évian-les-Bains, France, during the Group of Seven summit, Trump revealed details of his conversations with Netanyahu and insisted that the deal would protect Israel from the possibility of an Iranian nuclear attack.
Trump Says Deal Delivers Israel’s Key Demand
According to Trump, he told Netanyahu that the agreement secured the outcome Israel had long sought: preventing Iran from acquiring or using a nuclear weapon.
“Look, think of what Israel is getting. They’re not going to be nuked,” Trump said after the signing of the agreement between Washington and Tehran.
The U.S. president said he had emphasised to Netanyahu that Israel had received “the most important thing” it had been asking for throughout the conflict.
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‘Your Biggest Risk’: Trump Recounts Conversation With Netanyahu
Trump offered a detailed account of his discussion with the Israeli leader, referring to him by his nickname, “Bibi”.
“I told Bibi, ‘Bibi, your biggest risk was that they’d drop a nuclear weapon into the middle of Israel. They’d only need one, and there would be no more Israel,’” Trump said, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio standing alongside him.
He added that the agreement addressed that concern directly and maintained that Israel should be satisfied with the outcome.
“Think of it, Bibi. You got the best, the most important thing that you were asking for,” Trump said, asserting that Israel was “very happy” with the deal.
Israeli Concerns Surface Behind the Scenes
The agreement comes after Netanyahu repeatedly promised the Israeli public what he called a “total victory” over Iran.
Instead, the conflict concluded with Trump’s memorandum of understanding, an outcome that arrives just months before an election and follows repeated public criticism of Netanyahu by the U.S. president.
According to Axios, Netanyahu now stands largely isolated internationally in his belief that the agreement is a mistake and that military operations should have continued.
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Media Allies Turn Critical of Trump
While Netanyahu has not publicly criticised the agreement, concerns have reportedly been voiced by Israeli officials in background briefings with local media.
At the same time, several media outlets aligned with Netanyahu, many of which had previously supported Trump strongly, have begun directing criticism towards the U.S. president and members of his administration.
One prime-time presenter on Netanyahu-aligned Channel 14 reportedly described Vice President JD Vance as a “scumbag” and used an antisemitic slur while accusing Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, of putting financial interests ahead of Israel’s concerns.
Trump Praises Netanyahu, But Takes a Swipe
Despite differences over the agreement, Trump publicly thanked Netanyahu for his cooperation during the conflict with Iran.
However, the U.S. president also appeared to take a light jab at the Israeli leader while discussing their relationship at the G7 summit.
“Bibi is a good man. He gets a little excited sometimes. But we have an amazing partnership. We are the big partner and he is the very small partner,” Trump said.
The remarks underscored the complex dynamic between the two leaders as the newly signed peace agreement reshapes the political and security landscape in the Middle East.
