"I get problems solved real fast, including with Bibi": Trump on Lebanon standoff
Washington DC, June 23
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he will get "problems solved real fast" with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the latter refused to remove the forces from southern Lebanon, despite the ongoing US-Iran peace talks.
When asked how he would ensure that the Israeli PM doesn't sabotage the negotiations regarding the 14-point MoU, Trump refused to inform his plan but recognised himself as a "problem solver."
"I'm not going to tell you what I'm going to do, but it gets solved. I'm a problem solver. I get problems solved real fast, including with Bibi," Trump told reporters.
President Trump's statement comes in light of Benjamin Netanyahu's statement yesterday that Israeli forces will continue to remain in Lebanon.
Addressing the Jerusalem News Syndicate's International Policy Summit 2026, Netanyahu disregarded the US-Iran MoU and reaffirmed his resolve to protect his nation and citizens, asserting that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon, even as the quadilateral meeting in Switzerland agreed to form a "de-confliction zone" to cease the hostilities in Lebanon.
"No matter what happens in the talks, with an agreement, without an agreement, I pledge to you that Iran, as long as I'm Prime Minister, will never have a nuclear weapon. Never. As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel, I will not let that happen. As long as we need to protect our people, we will remain in the security zone in South Lebanon. No country would be asked to do otherwise," he said.
Furthermore, he asserted that the US would also go leaps and bounds to protect its country.
"Now you imagine the United States across the border. You have thousands, an army of thousands of terrorists who pellet your cities and your towns with rockets and ballistic missiles and killer drones. They kill your soldiers, they kill your citizens, they kill your children and they threaten them every day. Well, what would America do? Would it say, well, there's nothing we can do. Let's hold our fire. Is that what America would say? No. You know well what America would do. It would cross the border, create a security zone, kill the terrorists and protect its people until the threat is removed. That's exactly what we are doing," he said.
Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back against assertions that he or US President Donald Trump take directives from one another, following remarks from the American leader suggesting Israel follows his commands in West Asia.
This diplomatic friction arises amid growing discord between Washington and Jerusalem concerning Israel's ongoing military campaign in Lebanon. Trump has cautioned that these actions threaten to destabilise the memorandum of understanding established with Iran last week following extensive diplomatic efforts.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian, I find Netanyahu's comparison of Israel's security needs to what America would do interesting. But every country has different realities. India has faced cross-border terrorism too, but we've always emphasized diplomatic solutions over unilateral military actions. This "security zone" approach seems like it could prolong conflict rather than solve it.
Trump's "I'm a problem solver" line seems a bit overconfident. International diplomacy doesn't work with one phone call. The nuclear deal with Iran was already complex, and now you have Israel refusing to budge on Lebanon. This could backfire badly. Just my two cents from an international relations perspective.
India has always maintained that peace in West Asia is crucial for global stability. This Netanyahu-Trump dynamic feels like watching two strong personalities trying to outmaneuver each other. Meanwhile, the people of Lebanon and the region pay the price. The de-confliction zone idea from Switzerland seems sensible, but will anyone listen? 🤔
Netanyahus speech sounds very aggressive. "Cross the border, create a security zone, kill the terrorists" - that's exactly what escalation looks like. Trump says he can fix it, but so far all I see is grand statements with no real plan. The US-Iran MoU was a big step, but Israel seems determined to undermine it. Hope I'm wrong. 🌍
One thing is clear: Israel's security concerns are real, just like India's. But the approach matters. Netanyahu's defiance of even the US shows how complicated this is. Trump's claim of solving problems "
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.