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What’s it about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu that drives American presidents to profanity? As Iran and Israel have been nonetheless exchanging salvos after President Donald Trump had declared a ceasefire, Trump complained that these two nations “had been combating for therefore lengthy they do not know what the f— they’re doing.” Trump’s anger got here by, and the ceasefire is holding — for now. Whereas Trump is the newest president to ship profanity in Netanyahu’s course, he’s removed from the one one. Actually, presidents have been cursing at Netanyahu for 3 a long time.
Within the Nineties, Netanyahu and President Invoice Clinton had a contentious relationship. In two separate elections, 1996 and 1999, Clinton despatched political aides to attempt to defeat Netanyahu. He succeeded the second time. Within the interim, although, they needed to work collectively, and on one go to to the White Home, Clinton was aggravated with how Netanyahu comported himself at a joint press convention. Afterward, Clinton reportedly fumed to his aides, “who’s the f—ing chief of the free world?,” suggesting that Netanyahu had overstepped his boundaries.
Due in no small half to Clinton’s efforts, Netanyahu was out of workplace throughout President George W. Bush’s years, however cussing got here again with Netanyahu’s return throughout President Barack Obama’s time in workplace. Netanyahu and Obama actually disliked one another, and had quite a few disagreeable run-ins, together with one incident the place Obama left Netanyahu and his group to chill their heels within the White Home whereas Obama went to have dinner on the residence.
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Then, as now, the Iranian nuclear program and the matter of the Palestinians have been issues of intense debate. Obama and firm felt that Netanyahu was too cowardly on each points. A senior Obama official, who could have been Obama himself, informed The Atlantic that Netanyahu was “a chickensh***.” The comment sparked outrage, particularly since Netanyahu had been a adorned soldier within the Israeli particular forces. Netanyahu pushed again on the remark, saying in a press release that “The assault on me comes as a result of I defend the State of Israel and regardless of all of the assaults, I’ll proceed to defend our nation and the residents of Israel.”
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet on the White Home in Washington, D.C., Feb. 4, 2025. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)
Trump adopted Obama and, by all accounts, that they had a much better relationship, punctuated by vital milestones such because the transferring of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and the signing of the Abraham Accords peace offers between Israel and 4 Arab nations. However Bibi additionally irked Trump by calling President Joe Biden to congratulate him for his 2020 election victory. This transfer managed to anger each Biden, who felt that Netanyahu had waited too lengthy to make the decision, and Trump, who felt that Netanyahu had betrayed him by calling in any respect. Trump signaled afterward that he was finished with Netanyahu, saying starkly, “f— him.”
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Trump has three extra years in workplace, however will probably be onerous for him to interrupt the cursing at Netanyahu file set by Biden. A number of studies have Biden launching streams of profane invective at Netanyahu, together with calling Netanyahu and Palestinian chief Mahmoud Abbas “two of the largest f—ing a–sholes on this planet” ; saying that Netanyahu was “a f—ing liar,” and including, for good measure, that “Eighteen out of 19 individuals who work for him are f—ing liars.”; and barking, “That son of a bitch, Bibi Netanyahu, he’s a foul man. He’s a foul f—ing man!”
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Biden additionally was not above cursing at Netanyahu immediately. When Israel killed Hezbollah’s Fuad Shukur, a fiend who helped kill 241 U.S. Marines in 1983, Biden ought to have praised Bibi for bringing Shukur to justice. As an alternative, he screamed at Netanyahu over the cellphone, “Bibi, what the f—?”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint assembly of Congress within the chamber of the Home of Representatives on the U.S. Capitol on July 24, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Pictures)
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With Trump now again in workplace, the 2 males have principally cooperated, with Trump serving to to launch among the Israeli hostages from Hamas’ Gaza dungeons and hanging the Iranian nuclear program, which elated Netanyahu. But the “they do not know what the f— they’re doing” incident exhibits that Netanyahu has the capability to drive even pleasant U.S. presidents to profanity. The query is why. One cause is that Netanyahu, not like American presidents, lives in a harmful neighborhood and faces fixed existential threats. Whereas some world leaders would possibly acquiesce in a disagreement with the American president, Bibi is extra more likely to push again.
A second cause lies in the best way Netanyahu pushes again. His methodology, which he absorbed from his father’s mentor, the Zionist chief Zev Jabotinsky, is to achieve over the heads of the presidents and on to the American folks. Because the file of profanity despatched in his course suggests, this methodology tends to bother presidents. It additionally seems to have led to a grievous and welcome blow to the Iranian nuclear program.
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