Trump and Netanyahu Play Global Chicken Over Iran, Putin Offers Babysitting
KEY POINTS
- ā¢President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu held their second phone call in two days on Thursday to discuss Iran.
- ā¢Netanyahu requested a delay on military action during their first call to give Israel more time to prepare for possible Iranian retaliation.
- ā¢Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to mediate between Israel and Iran, while Mossad chief David Barnea traveled to Miami to meet U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff for consultations.
In a plot twist worthy of a geopolitical sitcom, President Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu dialed up for back-to-back chats about whether to bomb Iran or notābecause two calls in two days scream 'crisis or just indecision?' Netanyahu begged Trump on Wednesday to hold off so Israel could brace for Iranian fireworks, convincing Trump to hit pause on aerial chaos. Meanwhile, Russiaās Vladimir Putin slid into their DMs, offering to mediate like the worldās most entitled playground monitor. On the spy front, Mossad chief David Barnea jetted to Miami to rendezvous with White House envoy Steve Witkoff, who hopes Iran drops its 2000 kilos of enriched uranium like itās hot and stops sponsoring regional mischief before shouting 'League of Nations reunion party!'.
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Trumpās second call with Netanyahu isnāt just diplomacy ā itās the worldās most passive-aggressive group text about bombing Iran. Meanwhile, Putinās just waiting to snatch the remote and Netflix-and-chill the entire conflict.
Israel darkened the skies for a trauma drill by begging Trump to hold bombs like a hiker holds granola bars. Spoiler: missiles still pending, but hey, negotiation meetings in Miami to mix diplomacy and cigars!
Putin offering to mediate a Trump-Netanyahu-Iran spinoff sounds less like global peace and more like adding a plot twist before the season finale ends in chaos.
Source: Axios | Published: 1/16/2026 | Author: Barak Ravid
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