MARK HALPERIN: Netanyahu has seduced Trump by exploiting his biggest weakness... but here's what will derail the leaders' bromance
Let us now praise famous men — and the famously transactional friendships they foster.
Benjamin 'Bibi' Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel and amongst the world's longest-running acts in the global political circus, has always possessed a singular talent: the ability to both infuriate and seduce American presidents, often simultaneously.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
US evacuates 79 staff and family from embassy in Israel as more Americans ask how to leave
The U.S. evacuated 79 staff and families from the U.S. Embassy in Israel on Friday as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies and growing numbers of private American citizens seek information on how to leave Israel and Iran. An internal State Department memo says the military flight, the second known to have occurred this week, left Tel Aviv for Sofia, Bulgaria, where some or all of the passengers were to get a connecting charter flight to Washington. The document, which was obtained by The Associated Press, also said that more than 6,400 U.S. citizens in Israel had filled out an online form on Friday alone asking for information about when and if the U.S. government would organize evacuation flights. An additional 3,265 people, some of whom may also have competed the form, called an emergency number seeking assistance. The document estimated that between 300 and 500 people per day could need evacuation assistance should the U.S. decide to offer flights or ships to get Americans out, as the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has said is being considered. There are some 700,000 Americans in Israel, many of them dual nationals, according to estimates, although the exact number at any given time is unclear because U.S. citizens are not required to notify the embassy if they are there or when they might leave. Earlier Friday, before the memo was distributed, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters that more than 25,000 Americans had reached out for information on leaving Israel, the West Bank and Iran. She told reporters that those people had sought 'information and support' and were 'seeking guidance' on departing. She would not give a breakdown of where the queries had come from and would not comment on embassy evacuations. In Iran, the document said that at least 84 U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, or Green Card holders, had crossed into neighboring Azerbaijan by land since the conflict began and that an additional 774 had been granted permission to enter as of Friday. Nearly 200 American citizens and Green Card holders are awaiting permission to travel overland from Iran to neighboring Turkmenistan, it said.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Trump turns against Fox News after shock poll and singles out anchor Jessica Tarlov for 'soiling' evening broadcast
Donald Trump continued his recent feud with Fox News, saying liberal commentator Jessica Tarlov's appearances are what 'make MAGA absolutely hate' the network. Trump posted to Truth Social Friday: 'Why does Fox News allow failed TV personality Jessica Tarlov to 'soil' The Five? Her voice, her manner, and above all else, what she says, are a disgrace to television broadcasting.' The president appears to be reacting to Tarlov - the most consistent Trump-hating voice on the show and network - discussing negative polling numbers on Friday's show. 'I've had the best poll numbers that I've ever had, and she is constantly saying the exact opposite. The just out highly respected Rasmussen Poll is at 56%, Insider Advantage 54%, and many others are at 56% to 68%! Sadly, the audience has to listen to her spew off that I am doing poorly in the polls, while I am beating the democrats by 15%+ points and, more importantly, I just won an election against two candidates, Sleepy Joe and Kamala, in a Landslide by winning all 7 Swing States, and the Popular Vote by millions, with records broken everywhere!' Trump still stood by commentators Jesse Watters and Greg Gutfeld, saying the pair are 'terrific' but that they 'don't see all of these poll numbers and can't, therefore come to my defense. But I can!' He continued: 'Nobody can stand Tarlov! She lies over and over again, and MAGA is complaining, BIG LEAGUE, that she's all over Fox. Watch their ratings go down by keeping her on the show — nobody wants to listen to her. Why doesn't she talk about the fact that I had ZERO illegal aliens come into our Country last month, whereas Sleepy Joe Biden allowed 62,000 people in, many from prisons, mental institutions, and gangs.' The president finished by writing that 'people like Jessica Tarlov make MAGA absolutely hate Fox!' Tarlov was citing polls that had Trump in the red with both independents and overall voters on key issues. The president appears to be reacting to Tarlov (pictured) - the most consistent Trump-hating voice on the show and network - discussing negative polling numbers on Friday's show 'When we say the people don't like this, they don't like it. That doesn't mean that Democrats aren't still unpopular. That doesn't mean I don't know if the election was held again today Donald Trump might very well win again if it was.' However, she said that 'directionally' the polling numbers are going against the president. His comments Friday come after Trump went on a tear Thursday morning after a new Fox News Channel poll showed Americans split on the Republican's immigration policy. 'The Crooked FoxNews Polls got the Election WRONG, I won by much more than they said I would, and have been biased against me for years. They are always wrong and negative,' Trump posted to Truth Social. 'It's why MAGA HATES FoxNews, even though their anchors are GREAT,' Trump fumed. 'This has gone on for years, but they never change the incompetent polling company that does their work.' He then pointed to the latest survey. The poll, which was released Wednesday, showed Trump with a 46 percent approval rating overall, with another 54 percent disapproving of the job he's done so far. His numbers on 'border security' were better - with 53 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving. Trump still stood by commentators Jesse Watters (pictured center) and Greg Gutfeld (pictured right), saying the pair are 'terrific' but that they 'd on't see all of these poll numbers and can't, therefore come to my defense. But I can!' When voters were asked about 'immigration' his numbers were lower again. Forty-six percent said they approved and 53 percent said they disapproved. His lowest numbers were actually on the topic of 'inflation,' with 64 percent disapproving of Trump's handling of this top economic issue, and just 34 percent approving. Still, he took offense at how he was being rated on the border. 'Now a FoxNews poll comes out this morning giving me a little more than 50% at the Border, and yet the Border is miraculously perfect, NOBODY WAS ABLE TO COME IN LAST MONTH,' he wrote. '60,000 people came in with Sleepy Joe in the same month last year.' 'I hate FAKE pollsters, one of the Worst, but Fox will never change their discredited pollster!' the president complained. The outburst came Thursday morning as the world continued to wait and see whether the United States would join Israel in its current bombing campaign against Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday night that Trump had signed off on an attack plan for Iran but the president had yet to issue a final order. Overnight Thursday the U.S. did not get involved in the week-long war between Israel and Iran. 'The Wall Street Journal has No Idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran!' also wrote on Truth Social Thursday morning. The president also slammed Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell - who he appointed - after the Fed decided Wednesday not to push interest rates down as Trump has demanded. '"Too Late" Jerome Powell is costing our Country Hundreds of Billions of Dollars. He is truly one of the dumbest, and most destructive, people in Government, and the Fed Board is complicit,' Trump wrote. 'Europe has had 10 cuts, we have had none,' he continued. 'We should be 2.5 Points lower, and save $BILLIONS on all of Biden's Short Term Debt.' 'We have LOW inflation! TOO LATE's an American Disgrace!' Trump wrote.
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
Israel 'will not stop' attacks until Iran's nuclear threat is 'dismantled', says Israel's UN ambassador
Israel's ambassador to the United Nations has vowed "we will not stop" attacks on Iran until the "nuclear threat is dismantled" and "its war machine is disarmed". The two countries traded angry accusations at the United Nations Security Council, as its secretary-general Antonio Guterres warned that expansion of the Israel-Iran conflict could "ignite a fire no one can control". Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon vowed: "We will not stop. Not until Iran's nuclear threat is dismantled, not until its war machine is disarmed." 3:49 His Iranian counterpart Amir Saeid Iravani said Iran would continue to respond to Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear sites that Israel sees as part of a weapons programme. Donald Trump is seeking advice about whether to support Israel's military involvement and is expected make a decision in the next two weeks. But he told reporters in New Jersey on Friday that his director of national intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, was wrong in suggesting there is no evidence Iran is building a nuclear weapon. 0:27 Talks between Iranian and European ministers took place on Friday, but the US president was dismissive of the discussions. "Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this one". But he added that he might support a ceasefire between Iran and Israel "depending on the circumstances". Lammy on 'perilous moment' UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy warned "this is a perilous moment, and it is hugely important that we don't see regional escalation of this conflict", after he and his German, French and EU counterparts met Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva. He also referred to the role of the US in potential negotiations: "There is a... short window to find a diplomatic solution for the Iranians to... end their nuclear programme. "We're urging diplomacy. It's important they get back into serious talks with the United States." 1:04 Iran says attacks are 'grave war crimes' But the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials since the start of the conflict, did not reveal any indication of an immediate breakthrough. Mr Araghchi described the talks as "a very serious but respectful discussion" but condemned what he called Israel's "atrocities", adding that "Iran will continue exercising its legitimate right of self-defence against the regime". "Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again... once aggression is stopped and the aggressor is held accountable for the crimes committed. In this regard, I made it clear that Iran's defence capabilities are not negotiable," he added. Earlier, he called Israel's attacks on nuclear facilities "grave war crimes". On Friday, the Foreign Office announced that UK staff had also been evacuated from Iran, with the embassy continuing to operate remotely. Meanwhile, the UK government has announced it will use charter flights to evacuate Britons stranded in Israel once the country's airspace reopens. Iran wants 'endless negotiations' Jason Brodsky, policy director at the US-based pressure group United Against Nuclear Iran, told Sky News the talks in Geneva would not satisfy the US president. He said: "It seems that the maximum that the Islamic Republic is prepared to give still does not meet the minimum that President Trump is able to accept. "I think the Islamic Republic wants to lure the United States back into an endless negotiating process. They think they can dominate this process and manipulate President Trump. "President Trump has made it very clear that a deadline means a deadline. And he has red lines as well. And his red lines is zero enrichment in Iran." 4:53 Protests over Israeli strikes On Friday, thousands of people protested in Iran's capital Tehran after a week of Israeli strikes which have killed at least 657 people and wounded 2,037 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. Israel's military says 25 fighter jets carried out airstrikes on Friday morning targeting "missile storage and launch infrastructure components" in western Iran. In the Israeli city of Haifa, at least 19 people were wounded by an Iranian missile barrage. UN issues nuclear warning Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors. "A direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity," said Rafael Grossi, chief of the UN nuclear watchdog. Israel has not targeted Iran's nuclear reactors, instead focusing its strikes on the country's uranium enrichment sites. Iran has long insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful, although it enriches uranium up to 60%, well beyond the level required for an atomic power station and a step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%, according to the IAEA.
