Trump 'not happy' with how Israel fought Hezbollah, says Syrian president should do the job

U.S. President Donald Trump insisted the Iran deal can survive IDF strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, while saying he is “not happy” with how Israel has fought. 

“They [Israel] should have been able to do the job faster,” Trump said, when asked about his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during talks at the G7 summit. 

While speaking with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, President Trump was asked if the Iran memorandum of understanding could withstand Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

“It can [survive],” Trump responded, saying, “I consider that the minor war, Iran the big one. But, we had that little pinprick out there that constantly rears its head, and that’s Hezbollah.” 

Trump also said he believes Syria could do a better job of defeating Hezbollah. 

“I was very responsible for Syria,” Trump claimed. “And the man that’s running Syria now, is a person that I put there, or with President Erdoğan and some others.” 

“He’s done an amazing job of pulling it together,” Trump continued. “He’s not a boy scout, but he’s done an amazing job of pulling it together.” 

🔴 JUST NOW - Mind-boggling.

Trump states that he put Jolani in Syria and Jolani should be the one sorting Hezbollah out in Lebanon and not Israel.

“The man that is running Syria now is a man that I put there”

“He’s done an amazing job at pulling it together. He’s not a… pic.twitter.com/SHupST6urS

— Kosher (@koshercockney) June 16, 2026

“And he is very good with Hezbollah, does not like them,” Trump said of interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara’a, “and I’ll tell you what, Israel’s fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed. And you don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody. Because there’s a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you.” 

“I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah,” Trump stated. “To be honest with you, I think they’d do a better job.” 

Trump again expressed frustration with Israel for the strikes in Dahiyeh, which came just hours before he announced an agreement with the Iranian regime. 

“I didn't like where, two hours before we're signing the agreement, that there was an attack in Lebanon - in Beirut,” Trump stated, while minimizing the Hezbollah attacks. 

The president went on to praise al-Shara’a again, without using his name, saying, “you know, he's pulled that country together amazingly quickly. He's very capable. And he's been very good for me. He's protected everything that I've asked for.” 

However, despite critiquing Israel’s prosecution of the war in Lebanon, President Trump denied that he is “frustrated” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when asked by a reporter. 

“No,” Trump said. “We had a great relationship. We're talking about some end details.” 

However, he quickly resumed his criticism, saying that Israel’s response to the Hezbollah drone and rocket attacks was “vicious.” 

Trump repeated his previous claim that “without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did.” 

“I've had a great relationship with Bibi,” Trump continued, using Netanyahu’s nickname, “but now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon.” 

“So, no, I'm not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and with Hezbollah,” Trump stated. “They should have been able to do the job faster.”