Trump Puts His Foot Down On Netanyahu

President Donald Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call Thursday to begin withdrawing Israeli forces from parts of Syria and encouraged additional redeployments from Lebanon, according to U.S. and Israeli officials. The conversation comes as Trump’s administration continues efforts to reduce regional tensions while pushing for new security arrangements involving Israel and neighboring countries.

The request places additional pressure on Netanyahu, who faces a politically critical period ahead of an election that could have major consequences for his future. Israeli forces currently maintain positions in southern Lebanon and southern Syria, with Israeli officials arguing the deployments are necessary to prevent future attacks similar to the Oct. 7 invasion. Some members of Netanyahu’s government have supported maintaining long-term control over those areas, with some advocating for expanded Israeli civilian presence.

A U.S. official said Trump told Netanyahu that Israel’s military presence inside Syrian territory was increasing tensions and could potentially trigger further conflict. According to the official, Trump told Netanyahu, “They don’t want you there. You should redeploy,” adding that similar concerns applied to Lebanon.

Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister emphasized Israel’s need for security zones along its borders during the discussion. The call occurred one day after Trump met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa during the NATO summit in Turkey.

The Trump administration has spent months attempting to negotiate a new security agreement between Israel and Syria but reportedly concluded that Netanyahu was unwilling to make the level of concessions being requested. U.S. officials said those proposals included a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Syrian territory occupied after the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024.

Tensions have increased in southern Syria in recent weeks, with local residents protesting Israel’s military presence and some demonstrations leading to clashes between civilians and Israeli forces.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials and diplomats from Israel and Lebanon recently met in Rome to discuss the implementation of a framework agreement reached between the two countries. Under that agreement, Israel committed to withdrawing troops from two designated areas in southern Lebanon and allowing Lebanese forces to take control of those locations.

The Israeli military has not yet completed the planned redeployments, while Lebanese officials are pushing for a timeline for further withdrawals. Israeli officials say they want confirmation that the areas no longer contain Hezbollah weapons or military infrastructure before moving ahead, while Lebanese officials argue that U.S. military personnel should make that determination.

The White House did not directly comment on the details of the call but did not dispute the account. A U.S. official said Trump maintains a strong relationship with Netanyahu and described Israel as a longtime American ally, adding that the president remains committed to supporting peace efforts in the region.