Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared on Fox News on Sunday to address growing claims that he controls U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking on The Sunday Briefing, Netanyahu insisted: “I don’t decide a thing for Trump. He is the most independent leader that I have seen in all my years.” He dismissed allegations of influence as “completely false,” arguing Trump’s decisions are based solely on U.S. interests.
Netanyahu’s remarks came in response to statements made last week by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who claimed Netanyahu had been boasting in private that he controls the U.S. and Trump.
In an interview with journalist Glenn Greenwald, Carlson said: “Bibi’s running around—this is a fact, I’m not guessing—telling people point blank, ‘I control the United States. I control Donald Trump.’” Carlson emphasized he was citing direct sources, not speculation.
Given Carlson’s access to figures within the Trump administration, the comments were widely viewed among conservative pundits and voters as confirmation of long-standing suspicions that Trump is beholden to Netanyahu and pro-Israel interests.
The controversy was compounded by reporting from journalist Max Blumenthal, who recently claimed Trump feared provoking Netanyahu’s anger.
Netanyahu’s decision to address the matter publicly—a claim he might normally ignore—underscores both Israel’s declining support within parts of the American right and the urgency felt in Jerusalem to counter narratives of undue influence. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump on Monday, a meeting now clouded by this growing debate.
This is not the first time the Israeli leader has felt compelled to respond to grassroots accusations. Following the September 10th murder of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, Netanyahu publicly denied Israeli involvement on at least three occasions—an unusual move that many observers saw as reflecting growing Israeli concern about its standing within the Republican base.