Massie lashes out

US Representative Calls Israel “Welfare Recipients”

U.S. Republican Thomas Massie views Israel as nothing more than a welfare recipient at the expense of U.S. taxpayers.(Bild: AFP/JON CHERRY)

After a phone call between Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump completely spiraled out of control, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has now spoken out and brought out the heavy artillery against Israel. In a social media post, Massie uses language that could not be clearer.

Massie, of all people—who had clashed with his party colleague Trump over the vehement demand to release the Epstein files in 2025, as well as several other major disagreements—now appears to be on the same page as the U.S. president.

During the heated phone call, Trump called Netanyahu “crazy” and “ungrateful” for ordering attacks on Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, adding that without him, Israel’s prime minister would have been in prison long ago. The whole world would now hate Israel.

Harsh Post on X
Massie also disagrees with Israel’s approach to the Middle East conflict. In a scathing social media post, the Kentucky congressman doesn’t directly attack Netanyahu, but Israel itself. All one has to do is withhold foreign aid for a month, and they would stop “bombing their neighbors.”

Israel “the biggest recipient of welfare from U.S. taxpayers”
Soon after, peace would return, “the Strait of Hormuz could be opened, and the price of gas would drop by two dollars a gallon,” the 55-year-old writes on X. The post ends with the stark words: “Israel was and remains the largest recipient of welfare from American taxpayers.”

“Israel was and remains the largest recipient of welfare from American taxpayers.”

Thomas Massie

On Monday, Trump had announced an end to the fighting in Lebanon. Netanyahu, in turn, said that he had informed Trump that Israel would again strike “terrorist targets” in Beirut if Hezbollah did not cease its attacks. At the same time, Israel’s army would continue its operations in southern Lebanon as planned. There was no mention of a ceasefire.

This led to the heated phone call in which Trump lost his temper and insulted Netanyahu. Netanyahu was “crazy” and “ungrateful,” he said in reference to the escalation in Lebanon. According to eyewitnesses, other expletives were also used. This is also confirmed by the news portal “Axios” and the U.S. broadcaster CNN.

Situation in Lebanon remains tense
Meanwhile, the situation in Lebanon remains tense. Political talks between representatives of Israel and Lebanon are set to resume on Wednesday in the U.S. capital, Washington. Lebanon’s government is not itself a party to the conflict. However, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah rejects negotiations with Israel.