Trump on Netanyahu talks amid South Pars attack: 'I told him to stop'

2026-03-19 - 17:44

In a meeting held on Thursday in the Oval Office with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, US President Donald Trump offered a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes tensions with Jerusalem. Trump stated that he had spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and told him unequivocally to stop the strikes on Iranian oil and gas facilities. During the Oval Office briefing, the president was asked directly whether he had spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu about the Israeli strikes on Iranian oil and gas fields, and answered, "Yes, I spoke with him. I told him not to do it – and he won't do it again," the president declared. He added, "We are independent and getting along just fine. It is coordinated, but sometimes he – Netanyahu – does something; if I don't like it, then we simply don't do it anymore." Trump's remarks came against a backdrop of contradictory reports. Israeli and American sources confirmed to CNN and Reuters – and the IDF confirmed earlier Thursday – that the previous strike on the South Pars gas field had been fully coordinated with Washington. Members of the media raise their hands as US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands at a joint press conference in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, September 29, 2025 (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Will there be American boots on Iranian soil? On the possibility of a ground escalation, Trump flatly denied reports that thousands of additional troops were being deployed to the Middle East, saying, "I am not putting forces anywhere. Even if I were doing it, I wouldn't tell you, but I am not doing it." He also fired a direct threat at Tehran, saying, "We can take down Kharg Island at any moment. I did what no president before me had the courage to do. Everyone wanted to, but it was left to me, and we are doing a great job. When we are done, the world will be a safer place." Asked why he didn't coordinate with allies before going to war with Iran, Trump says, "We didn't tell anyone about it. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor, OK?" pic.twitter.com/f1NrTqtShY — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 19, 2026 Trump also said he was seeing defections from the ranks of the Iranian regime. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed similar remarks, saying, "We are seeing defections at every level, and we are beginning to understand what is happening with the regime. This is not being well-reported here in the United States, but we are hitting them hard from the air. The regime will probably collapse from within. At the Treasury, we have seen them moving their money out of the country. We are monitoring this. We will return that money to the Iranian people." Pearl Harbor An awkward moment unfolded when Trump was asked why the United States had not briefed its allies – including Japan – ahead of the strike on Iran. The president chose to respond with a historically charged remark, saying, "Who understands surprises better than Japan? Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor? You believe in the element of surprise far more than we do." Prime Minister Takaichi kept her composure in the face of the comment, which touched on one of the most sensitive points in the two countries' relations since 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor took place on December 7, 1941, when naval and air forces of the Japanese Empire launched a devastating surprise attack on the US naval base in Hawaii. Demands on Japan and the China connection The president also directed sharp criticism at his ally on economic and security matters. Trump demanded that Tokyo increase its involvement and financial contributions, noting that the US maintains 4,000 troops on Japanese soil. "They get 95% of their oil from the Strait of Hormuz. That's a good reason for them to do more," he said. He added that his planned meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping had been postponed by six weeks.