Trump suggests Israel in no place to criticize Iran deal for not joining 2020 strike on Soleimani

US President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has less standing to criticize the recent memorandum signed with Iran, citing Netanyahu's alleged withdrawal from a joint operation to assassinate top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in 2020.

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They were all set the night before the attack. Then [Israel told] me they didn’t want to do it.

Trump made these remarks during a press conference at the G7 summit, where he dedicated significant time to criticizing Israel. This comes amid frustration over Israel's war against Hezbollah, which has reportedly jeopardized US-Iran negotiations.

Trump recounted his past assertions that Israel was prepared for the Soleimani operation but backed out at the last minute, claiming he proceeded with the strike alone. He had largely refrained from sharing this story after becoming the GOP presidential nominee in 2024, a period marked by improved relations with Netanyahu.

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For all of those so-called geniuses who want to show me how smart they are, ask them why didn’t they blow up General Solemeini.

"They were all set the night before the attack. Then [Israel told] me they didn’t want to do it," Trump stated, adding that he decided to proceed with the operation unilaterally. He also directed criticism at those urging him to continue bombing Iran instead of pursuing a peace agreement, questioning why they did not target General Soleimani themselves.

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Bibi Netanyahu happens to be a good man, but he gets a little excited sometimes.

Trump also reiterated his criticism of Netanyahu's approach to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah, advising a "softer touch" and questioning the necessity of destroying buildings for minor incidents. Despite these disputes, Trump acknowledged an "amazing partnership" and called Netanyahu an "amazing prime minister."

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You can do a little softer touch, Bibi. You don’t have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that’s from Hezbollah.