Trump Pushes Back On Netanyahu Ahead Of White House Meeting, Says U.S. Already Knows About Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain Site
President Donald Trump publicly pushed back against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of their Oval Office meeting Tuesday, saying the United States already has detailed intelligence on Iran‘s underground Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility and does not need to be briefed publicly on the site.
Speaking before the meeting, President Trump dismissed reports that Netanyahu planned to present new intelligence on the heavily fortified complex, saying American surveillance capabilities already provide a complete picture of what is happening there.
“I know exactly what’s going on at Pickaxe Mountain,” President Trump said. “Why didn’t you just tell it to me? We know exactly what’s going on. We have satellites over it every minute of every day.” He added that the United States has the capability to act if necessary and would not hesitate to do so if diplomacy with Iran fails.
President Trump emphasized that while he prefers a negotiated solution, military action remains on the table if Iran continues advancing its nuclear program. He reiterated that the United States had already inflicted major damage on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure during previous operations and warned that additional strikes could be ordered if Tehran refuses to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Netanyahu arrived in Washington intending to share Israeli intelligence indicating Iran has relocated nuclear centrifuges into the deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain facility near Natanz and has accelerated efforts to rebuild missile and drone capabilities following earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes. Israeli officials view the intelligence as evidence that Iran continues pursuing its nuclear program despite ongoing diplomatic contacts.
The exchange highlighted a rare public disagreement between the two longtime allies, with President Trump signaling that he wants greater coordination on sensitive intelligence matters while making clear that the United States is relying on its own surveillance and intelligence network to monitor Iran’s activities. Despite the sharp comments, both leaders remain committed to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and were expected to discuss military strategy, regional security, and the future of negotiations during their White House meeting.
President Trump also said discussions with Iran have been productive in recent days but cautioned that Tehran has sent mixed signals. He reiterated that his goal is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons while avoiding unnecessary destruction if a diplomatic agreement can still be reached. At the same time, he warned that the United States is fully prepared to take decisive military action should negotiations collapse.