'Trump Has Changed His Attitude': Macron Reveals What Happened Behind Closed Doors at the G7

French President Emmanuel Macron launched a sharp diplomatic broadside against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, describing his conduct of the war as destructive and lacking any strategic logic, while claiming that President Donald Trump has recently shifted his attitude toward the Israeli leader.

Speaking in an interview on the French television network France 2, a day after the G7 summit concluded in Évian in the French Alps, Macron offered his most pointed criticism yet of Netanyahu's leadership. "It does not appear that Netanyahu has any strategic plan," Macron said. "He has achieved real security results and has defended his country against real aggression," he acknowledged, before adding that the policy as a whole was "destructive."

Macron accused Israel of causing widespread civilian harm in Gaza that was "completely unjustifiable," and condemned what he described as new settlement activity and unacceptable acts in Judea and Samaria, arguing the policy "feeds resentment and violence among all populations of the region."

The most striking claim in the interview was Macron's assertion that Trump himself has grown frustrated with Netanyahu. "Trump has changed his attitude toward Netanyahu in recent days," Macron said, "and only under those conditions will it be possible to achieve real change." He did not elaborate on what had specifically triggered the shift, but the comments land against a well-documented backdrop of strain between Washington and Jerusalem. Trump confirmed in early June that he had called Netanyahu "f***ing crazy" during a heated phone call over Israel's continued strikes in Lebanon, though he later described the relationship as strong.

Some officials in the Trump administration have been working to establish informal channels with Israel's opposition, including former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and former IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot, amid growing concern over hard-right members of the Netanyahu government seen as extremists and frustration with the inability to advance various diplomatic agendas.

Macron also addressed the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, rejecting characterizations of it as an Iranian capitulation. He said many of Iran's military capabilities had been destroyed but that key issues would still need to be resolved during the 60-day negotiating window ahead. France and Britain, he said, stand ready to help guarantee the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and Paris is prepared to participate in negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.

The Israeli response was swift. Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter posted a detailed list on X of Hezbollah ceasefire violations. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee was more direct. "The French foreign minister said Israel should stop its attacks on Hezbollah," Huckabee wrote. "Is France getting all its information from Hezbollah? Last night, four of Israel's soldiers were killed. Israel attacks when it is attacked."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot echoed Macron's criticism, calling on Israel to halt hostilities in Lebanon and urging Washington to apply pressure on Jerusalem to comply.

Macron's comments come after France blocked Israeli participation in the Eurosatory arms exhibition earlier this month despite Israel meeting all stated conditions, a move Jerusalem condemned as cynical and discriminatory.