Asked Monday by a reporter in the Oval Office to comment on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that the IDF would not be withdrawing from southern Lebanon, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared unaware of the Israeli leader's recorded statement.
When told that the statement was made publicly, Trump appeared surprised, before saying: "We are going to take a look at it. I am a problem solver. I can solve problems fast, including with Bibi."
In a recorded statement published Monday, Netanyahu said that the Israeli military will remain in the Israeli-controlled buffer zone in southern Lebanon "for as long as necessary."
"My instruction and that of the Defense Minister to the IDF is clear and has not changed," Netanyahu said. "Our fighters in southern Lebanon have full freedom of action to thwart any direct or emerging threat against them or against the residents of the north."
Trump also warned that he "will do what I have to do" if Iran does not stick to its agreement with Washington. "If Iran doesn't live up to their agreement, or if they're not behaving, I will do what I have to do," Trump told reporters.
"As long as they respect us – I don't want to use the word 'fear' because it's inappropriate – as long as they respect us, we're not going to have any trouble," Trump added.
Trump said Iran was supposed to use the money being unfrozen to buy food exclusively from the United States. "All that money's coming back in the form of purchases of food which they desperately need. They have 91 million people, they can't feed them. So, the money that we lift is going to go to our farmers," Trump asserted.