White House Officials Reportedly Slam Netanyahu Over Syria Strikes: “A Madman”

Senior members of the Trump administration have reportedly voiced deep concern over Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s recent military actions in Syria, referring to him as a “madman” and accusing him of jeopardizing U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region, according to a Sunday report by Axios.

“Bibi acted like a madman. He bombs everything all the time,” one White House official told the outlet. “This could undermine what Trump is trying to do.”

The backlash follows Israeli airstrikes on Syrian regime positions and sensitive sites in Damascus last Wednesday. The strikes came in response to the Assad regime’s killing of scores of civilians in the Druze-majority city of Sweida.

A second senior official expressed frustration with the frequency and unpredictability of Israeli operations. “The feeling is that every day there is something new. What the f***?” he said, referring in particular to an incident in which an Israeli tank shell hit Gaza’s only Catholic church, killing three people.

Although President Trump did not issue a public statement on the Gaza church strike, sources say he held a heated phone call with Netanyahu and insisted that the prime minister issue a statement of regret.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later told reporters that Trump’s reaction “was not a positive reaction.”

According to a third U.S. official, skepticism about Netanyahu’s judgment has been growing. “Netanyahu is sometimes like a child who just won’t behave,” the official told the Times of Israel.

It remains unclear whether these private comments reflect Trump’s own position. However, Axios reports that U.S. special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack had requested Israel on Tuesday to pause its strikes in order to allow for diplomatic engagement. Despite Israel’s apparent agreement, a wave of Israeli attacks followed the next day, including direct hits on Syrian military headquarters and areas near the presidential palace.

The escalation drew complaints from both Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as from Barrack and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

“The bombing in Syria caught the president and the White House by surprise,” said another official. “The president doesn’t like turning on the television and seeing bombs dropped in a country he is seeking peace in and made a monumental announcement to help rebuild.”

One official attributed Netanyahu’s behavior to domestic political maneuvering. “Bibi’s political agenda is driving his senses. It will turn out to be a big mistake for him long-term,” the source warned.

An Israeli official defended the operations, telling Axios that President Trump had previously encouraged Israel to maintain its hold over Syrian territory and had not voiced opposition to such strikes until now. “The U.S. wants to keep the new Syrian government stable and doesn’t understand why we attack in Syria, because of attacks on the Druze community there,” the official said. “We tried to explain to them that this is our commitment to the Druze community in Israel.”