Trump Says Netanyahu Requested White House Meeting, Could Happen as Early as Next Week
Trump Says Netanyahu Requested White House Meeting, Could Happen as Early as Next Week
Trump Confirms Netanyahu Reached Out First
President Donald Trump told Axios in a brief phone interview on Saturday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked him for a meeting at the White House, and that the visit could happen as early as next week, once Trump returns from the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
"We get along very good," Trump said, adding that Netanyahu "knows who the boss is" — a reference to himself.
The comment, offhand as it sounded, carries real weight. If the meeting happens, it would be the first face-to-face between the two leaders since their tense February session in the White House Situation Room, when Netanyahu laid out his case for a joint military campaign against Iran.
Why the Timing Is Tricky
Trump is set to attend the NATO summit in Turkey on July 7 and 8, which puts a real scheduling squeeze on any "next week" visit. One Israeli official told Axios that the White House trip may need to wait a bit longer than Trump suggested.
"It might take place the week after," the official said.
Netanyahu's office confirmed on Friday that the two leaders had spoken by phone, with the call originally framed around a much friendlier occasion: congratulating the United States on its 250th Independence Day. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu told Trump that the U.S. remains a guarantor of global freedom and that Israel deeply values its relationship with Washington. Both leaders reportedly agreed, in that call, to meet soon in the United States.
A Friendship With Some Cracks in It
For all the warm language, the backdrop to this meeting is anything but simple. Trump and Netanyahu have found themselves increasingly out of step on several fronts over the past couple of months — from Iran diplomacy to the fighting in Lebanon to their respective domestic political calculations.
Sources close to Trump told Axios that skepticism toward Netanyahu has been building inside the president's circle since that February Situation Room meeting. One U.S. official put it bluntly, saying many of Trump's closest advisers believe Netanyahu misjudged the situation "about everything."
That frustration reportedly boiled over last month, when Trump called Netanyahu directly over Israel's expanding operations in Lebanon. Trump has since acknowledged publicly that he called the Israeli leader "crazy" during that call and accused him of ingratitude, a remark that made waves given how closely the two governments are usually seen working together.
The friction has also exposed a wider divide inside the Republican Party over U.S. support for Israel. Prominent voices in the MAGA movement, including Tucker Carlson, have accused Trump of being too deferential to Netanyahu — a criticism that's been simmering as the war has dragged on.
The Iran Factor
Much of the current tension traces back to how each side wants to handle Iran. Despite Netanyahu's own hesitations, Trump signed a memorandum of understanding last month extending the ceasefire with Iran and opening the door to a fresh round of nuclear negotiations. Israel had pushed back on that ceasefire framework, worried it would tie its hands militarily.
Trump has also pressed Netanyahu to pull back Israeli operations in Lebanon, arguing that continued fighting there was becoming an obstacle to progress on the Iran talks. Part of that push reportedly includes asking Netanyahu to accept a framework requiring an initial Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese army taking over security responsibilities as Hezbollah's infrastructure is dismantled.
Netanyahu, for his part, has continued to insist that Israeli forces will stay in the security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat — a position he reaffirmed during a visit to Israeli troops on July 1.
What's at Stake for Netanyahu
Beyond the diplomacy, this meeting would mean a lot politically for Netanyahu. He's heading into Israel's October elections trailing in the polls, and a high-profile White House visit — with all the imagery of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the U.S. president — could give his campaign a real boost heading into the race.
That's part of why the timing question matters so much. A visit that slips from "next week" to "the week after" is a minor scheduling detail on paper, but for a leader trying to build campaign momentum, even a short delay can matter.
What Happens Next
For now, nothing is locked in. Trump's comments to Axios make clear he expects the meeting to happen soon, but the exact date still depends on his return from Turkey and both sides' calendars lining up. If it does go ahead, expect the conversation to center on the future of U.S.-Israel cooperation, the state of Iran negotiations, and the ongoing situation in Lebanon.
We'll be watching for an official announcement from the White House or the Israeli Prime Minister's Office confirming a date, and we'll update this story as soon as one is set.
This article is based on reporting from Axios, whose global affairs correspondent conducted the original interview with President Trump, along with statements from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.
