Trump told Benjamin Netanyahu in one call this month, “Do what you have to do,” according to six people familiar with the conversation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive and confidential information. Trump has said publicly that the two have spoken at least twice in October, with one call as recently as Oct. 19.

“He didn’t tell him what to do militarily, but he expressed that he was impressed by the pagers,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), who was on a call this month with Trump and Netanyahu, referring to the Israeli operation that killed Hezbollah leaders with explosive batteries inside pagers. “He expressed his awe for their military operations and what they have done.”

Graham added: “He told them, do what you have to do to defend yourself, but we’re openly talking about a new Mideast. Trump understands that very much there has to be change with the corrupt Palestinian state.”

  • @[email protected]
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    fedilink
    1020 hours ago

    They don’t usually write it so literally, that’s rare. They usually just pretend than any amount of evil is equally evil.

    • Flying Squid
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      fedilink
      920 hours ago

      It was rare. They’re getting more brazen because they are realizing the “vote third party but it doesn’t matter which candidate to teach them a lesson” concept isn’t especially compelling.