Trump is frustrated with Netanyahu over the Iran war, but the relationship shows Israel, not the White House, is driving events — bad news for anyone hoping the US can rein in the conflict.

• Trump feels misled: the Israeli intelligence he acted on turned out to be false, and the strike that killed Iran's Ayatollah did not topple the government as he expected.
• Killing another country's religious leader is called reckless because it destroys any chance of a negotiated deal, the same reason leaders like Zelensky are left alone.
• Trump blames Netanyahu for the failure, and J.D. Vance shares the frustration, but the anger has not changed US policy.
• The real test is action: Trump signed a deal to halt fighting in Lebanon, yet could not get Israel to stop, showing who actually holds the power.

Outlook: Expect the fighting to continue and US influence over Israel to stay weak, regardless of Trump's private irritation.