In a recent interview with Axios on Tuesday, President Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had personally asked for a meeting at the White House, with the earliest possible date being next week. Trump remarked, “Netanyahu knows who’s the boss.”
Trump and Netanyahu
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement confirming that Netanyahu spoke with Trump by phone on Monday, and both sides agreed to meet soon in the U.S. An Israeli official said that since Trump is attending the NATO summit this week, the meeting with the Israeli leader “might take place the following week.” If the visit goes ahead, it would mark the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since their White House meeting in February, during which Netanyahu proposed a joint military operation against Iran.
According to Axios, since February, skepticism and disappointment toward Netanyahu have grown among Trump’s inner circle. A U.S. official revealed, “Many advisors close to Trump believe Netanyahu has gotten almost every judgment wrong.”
Israel’s Haaretz reported on Wednesday that Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump in the coming weeks, using their close cooperation as a cornerstone of his election campaign. However, Trump’s attitude might not be as friendly as anticipated. Agence France-Presse noted on Wednesday that in recent weeks, after conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah threatened U.S.-Iran peace talks, Trump publicly criticized Netanyahu.
The Times of Israel reported that Israel is currently worried about a potential U.S.-Iran deal that could undermine its security. Israel is not a party to the agreement and has not participated in subsequent negotiations. Israeli officials also strongly oppose the terms of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, as they fail to achieve the core goals of U.S.-Israel military action against Iran, especially the complete elimination of Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile projects.
