‘Benjamin Netanyahu a Con Man’: New Book Reveals Donald Trump’s Alleged Remark on Israeli PM, Comparisons to Mao and Hitler

A new book by veteran journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan has revealed that President Donald Trump showed reporters a document arguing he held more power than history's most feared rulers, while also describing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "con man" in private conversations with aides.

The revelations come from "Regime Change," a book examining the first 14 months of Trump's second term, which is set for release on June 23, 2026.

The Historical Comparison Document

According to the authors, Trump sat down for an interview in March with New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan for their book and showed them a document arguing he was more powerful than some of history's most feared and treacherous leaders, including Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Stalin, Mao and Hitler. Donald Trump Calls PM Narendra Modi ‘Great Leader’, Lists Him Among World Leaders He Most Admires (Watch Video).

The conversation began when the authors asked Trump about the power he wielded in his second term and his place in history, which led him to describe a two-page document he said he had received from "a historian" during an event honoring golfer Gary Player.

The document's true origin, however, was different from what Trump claimed. The author of the document was not a historian but a longtime aide who told Haberman and Swan he had first shared his conclusions with the president before explaining them in writing. The document's central claim was that each of the historical figures named, however fearsome in his time, had no global reach, with their power confined locally, unlike Trump's. 'Use Your Head': Donald Trump Says He Urged Israel to Agree to Hezbollah Ceasefire Amid Escalating Lebanon Conflict.

Private Remarks on Netanyahu

The book also details Trump's shifting attitude toward Netanyahu, particularly around the question of going to war with Iran. Haberman and Swan write that Trump told an Israel skeptic in the early months of his administration that he did not want "any part" of a Netanyahu war with Iran.

That hesitation did not stop a sharper private judgment from surfacing later. Trump told another adviser that Netanyahu was a "con man," which the authors describe as one of the harshest insults in Trump's vocabulary.

The book also reconstructs a February gathering in the White House Situation Room involving Trump, Netanyahu and a handful of senior US and Israeli officials, where Netanyahu laid out Israel's case for war with Iran, a course of action Trump ultimately decided to support.

Tensions Over Ukraine

Beyond the Middle East, the authors document Trump's wavering stance on Ukraine. The book describes Trump's skepticism toward Ukraine and its leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, as Russia's war in Ukraine continued into Trump's second year despite his campaign promise to resolve it quickly.

A particularly tense moment came during an Oval Office meeting last February. Following a confrontation between Trump, Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance, Trump reportedly told an adviser the exchange was "Better than The Apprentice."

A Gilded Oval Office

The book reportedly also touches on changes Trump made to the Oval Office after returning to power. According to participants cited in the book, Trump personally directed the addition of numerous gold elements to the room's interior, including gilded cornices, figurines, medallions, mirrors and gold detailing on doors, along with cherub decorations brought over from Mar-a-Lago.

About the Book

"Regime Change" is scheduled to be published by Simon & Schuster. An excerpt was released by The New York Times in April, ahead of the book's full release this week, drawing wide coverage of its disclosures about Trump's private conversations on power, allies and rivals during his second term.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 21, 2026 09:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).