Trump and Netanyahu to meet at White House amid strained post-Iran war relations
The eighth meeting between the leaders since Trump returned to office will focus on the Iran war, the implementation of a US-sponsored framework deal with Lebanon, and stalled diplomatic efforts regarding Gaza reconstruction.
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday for the first time since US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February triggered a new regional conflict. The leaders aim to downplay their frayed ties, which were marked by public rebukes from Trump during ceasefire negotiations in April. The meeting, the eighth since Trump returned to office, will focus on the Iran war, the implementation of a US-sponsored framework deal with Lebanon, and diplomatic efforts regarding Gaza.
Netanyahu described the visit as a "great privilege" and a "great responsibility," stating the primary goal is to safeguard security and expand the circle of peace. Relations between the two leaders reached a low point in April during negotiations on the ceasefire, with Trump unleashing profanity-laced tirades against his Israeli ally. Trump later described Netanyahu in an interview as a "very difficult guy," though Netanyahu downplayed the exchanges as "tactical disagreements," asserting that both sides remained aligned on the goals of the war.
Israel has not taken part in the latest round of hostilities between the United States and Iran, which flared earlier this month after an April ceasefire collapsed. Tuesday's meeting is expected to be dominated by the war, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, as Washington says it wants to give negotiations a chance. The leaders are expected to discuss the implementation of a US-sponsored framework deal signed by Israel and Lebanon last month, whose application on the ground has been challenging.
The talks are also expected to touch on Gaza, as diplomatic efforts to kickstart the devastated Palestinian territory's reconstruction are at a standstill. Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, suggested the primary aim of the visit is to dispel reports of a cooling in relations between the allies. He argued that any differences between Trump and Netanyahu concern the means—such as timeline and intensity—rather than the ends of the war.
Netanyahu's visit comes months ahead of Israel's national elections, in which he plans to seek another term. Recent polls show Netanyahu trailing his rival, with public anger still lingering over his government's failure to prevent Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Additionally, nearly 600 former Israeli military, diplomatic, and intelligence officials have written to Trump, urging him to pressure Netanyahu to halt what they describe as "settler terror" in the occupied West Bank, citing escalating violence.
