Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged privately that he faces challenges in shaping U.S. President Donald Trump's policy decisions regarding Iran, according to sources familiar with the matter. The admission marks a shift from Netanyahu's previously confident public stance on the U.S.-Israel relationship under the Trump administration.

This represents a notable change from Netanyahu's earlier approach during Trump's first term, when the Israeli leader successfully lobbied for the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020. The current difficulty suggests a more complex dynamic in the renewed Trump presidency, where competing foreign policy priorities and domestic political considerations may be limiting Israel's traditional influence on American Middle East strategy.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not specify which particular Iran-related decisions Netanyahu has struggled to influence. However, the timing comes as the Trump administration navigates renewed tensions in the region, including Iran's nuclear program advancement and ongoing proxy conflicts involving Iranian-backed groups. Netanyahu's government has consistently advocated for a harder line against Tehran, including potential military action against nuclear facilities and stricter enforcement of sanctions.

"The relationship remains strong, but the decision-making process is different," one source close to the discussions said, as reported by Reuters Canada.