Israeli PM Netanyahu's office denies ‘intensive contact' with ousted national security adviser Mike Waltz on Iran nuke talks

New York Post

03-05-2025

WASHINGTON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office denied a published report that ousted national security adviser Mike Waltz had 'intensive contact' with him amid talks to either obliterate Iran's nuclear sites or force the mullahs to the negotiating table — apparently infuriating President Trump.
'Contrary to the Washington Post report, PM Netanyahu did not have intensive contact with Mike Waltz on Iran,' the office said in a statement Saturday hours after the outlet cited unnamed sources claiming the ex-Florida pol was keen on the US pursuing military action against Tehran's nuke sites.
'PM Netanyahu had a warm meeting with Mike Waltz and Steve Witkoff at Blair House in February prior to the Prime Minister's meeting with President Trump at the White House,' Netanyahu's team added.
6 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office is pushing back on a report that ousted national security adviser Mike Waltz had 'intensive contact' with him about obliterating Iran's nuclear program — apparently infuriating President Trump.
via REUTERS
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'Mike Waltz also joined VP JD Vance in a meeting with the PM before leaving Washington. Since then, the PM, the former National Security Advisor and Steve Witkoff had one phone conversion that did not deal with Iran.'
The statement cuts against comments from a senior White House official, Trump adviser and other unidentified sources who claimed to WaPo the former Green Beret wasn't just ousted for having added a journalist to a private, Cabinet-level Signal chat discussing strikes on Houthi terrorists but also because of his hawkish stance on Iran.
One of the sources said Waltz 'wanted to take US policy in a direction Trump wasn't comfortable with because the US hadn't attempted a diplomatic solution.'
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6 'Contrary to the Washington Post report, PM Netanyahu did not have intensive contact with Mike Waltz on Iran,' the Israeli leader's office said in a statement Saturday.
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'It got back to Trump and the president wasn't happy with it,' the source said.
On Tuesday, the then-national security adviser told The Post that the president had been clear about pursuing 'all options,' military or otherwise, to halt Tehran's regime from getting a nuclear bomb.
'Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and the president has been there repeatedly and he is absolutely serious about it,' Waltz said.
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6 The president also batted down earlier reports that he 'stopped' Netanyahu from launching strikes on Iran's uranium enrichment sites.
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But Trump also told Time magazine last week the US will not be 'dragged in' to a war with Iran as his officials — including Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff — discuss ways to prevent the theocratic regime from enriching enough uranium to make the weapon.
'He may go into a war. But we're not getting dragged in,' Trump said of Netanyahu. 'I may go in very willingly if we can't get a deal. If we don't make a deal, I'll be leading the pack.'
The president also batted down earlier reports that he 'stopped' Netanyahu from launching strikes on Iran's uranium enrichment sites.
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6 Trump also told Time magazine the US will not be 'dragged in' to a war with Iran as his officials — including Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff — discuss ways to prevent it from getting a nuclear bomb.
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'I didn't make it comfortable for them, because I think we can make a deal without the attack,' he noted. 'I hope we can. It's possible we'll have to attack because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.'
'I didn't make it comfortable for them, but I didn't say no,' he added. 'Ultimately I was going to leave that choice to them, but I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped.'
In February, the UN's nuclear watchdog warned that Tehran's uranium enrichment was nearing weapons-grade levels.
6 In April, Netanyahu said if it weren't for his past actions, 'Iran would have had a nuclear weapon 10 years ago.'
GPO/AFP via Getty Images
In April, Netanyahu said if it weren't for his past actions, 'Iran would have had a nuclear weapon 10 years ago.'
Secretary of State Marco Rubio succeeded Waltz as acting national security adviser on Thursday, becoming the first cabinet official to hold both titles since Henry Kissinger, who served in that capacity from 1973 to 1975 under former President Richard Nixon.
Trump appointed Waltz as his nominee for US ambassador to the UN the same day.
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6 Secretary of State Marco Rubio succeeded Waltz as acting national security adviser on Thursday, becoming the first cabinet official to hold both titles since Henry Kissinger.
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'From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation's Interests first,' the president posted on his Truth Social. 'I know he will do the same in his new role.'
'We congratulate Mr. Waltz on his important appointment to the UN,' Netanyahu's office also said in their statement.
Reps for the White House, Waltz and Witkoff did not respond to requests for comment.