President Donald Trump said Thursday that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister and told him to stop attacking Iran’s oil fields, a move that sent fuel prices skyrocketing.
Trump was asked in the Oval Office if he had talked to Bibi after the President sent out a long-winded Truth Social post Wednesday night condemning the dramatic escalation in the Iran war.
An Israeli strike had set ablaze the South Pars, with Iran retaliating against Gulf nations, including on the LNG plant in Qatar.
‘Yeah, I did. I did,’ Trump said, confirming a conversation with Netanyahu. ‘I told them, don’t do that. And he won’t do that.’
‘We didn’t discuss, we do – we’re independent, we get along great, it’s coordinated, but on occasion he’ll do something and if I don’t like it – so we’re not doing that anymore,’ the President added.
The Iran war already has Americans feeling pain at the pump, with gas prices up to $3.90 a gallon nationally, compared to the $2.90 a gallon it was costing before the strikes began on February 28.
In his Truth Social post, Trump said the US ‘knew nothing’ about Israel’s plans to hit South Pars, though threatened to ‘massively blow up’ the whole oil field if Iran were to retaliate again.
‘I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long-term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so,’ Trump warned.
Allies in both the Middle East and Europe were left furious over Israel’s move, with French President Emmanuel Macron calling the move ‘reckless.’
The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and Canada also slammed Iran on Thursday for attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
‘We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning,’ the joint statement read.
Trump has raged against NATO – of which the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Canada are members – for not immediately offering to assist in protecting commercial ships from Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz – a major global shipping lane.
His Oval Office meeting on Thursday was with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a political ally, who told the President that she believed, despite the current Iranian conflict, which Trump signed off on, could ‘achieve peace across the world.’
During their sit-down, Trump praised Japan’s apparent willingness to help patrol the Strait of Hormuz.
‘We’ve had tremendous support and relationship with Japan on everything, and I believe that based on statements that were given to us yesterday, the day before yesterday, having to do with Japan, they are really stepping up to the plate.’
‘Unlike NATO,’ the President added.
He also complained of NATO: ‘They don’t want to help us defend the Strait, and they’re the ones that need it.’
‘But now they’re getting much nicer, because they’re seeing my attitude,’ he continued. ‘But it’s, as far as I’m concerned, it’s too late.’
Trump’s February 28 decision to strike Iran has left some world leaders bewildered, as allies weren’t informed of those plans ahead of time.
In the Oval Office, a Japanese reporter asked the President why he left allies, like Japan, in the dark.
To that, Trump gave a shocking response.
‘You don’t want to signal too much … we wanted surprise,’ Trump answered in the Oval Office.
‘Who knows better about surprise than Japan?’ he said. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor!’
The Japanese attacked the Americans on December 7, 1941, at a naval base in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which brought the US into World War II.
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