President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked for a White House meeting, possibly next week after Trump returns from the NATO summit in Turkey.
“We get along very good. [Netanyahu] knows who the boss is,” Trump told Axios, according to a report on Saturday.
An Israeli official said the visit may slip a week due to Trump’s travel schedule, Axios reported.
The meeting would be their first since February’s Situation Room session on striking Iran.
Tensions Simmer Beneath the Surface
In recent months, tensions have grown significantly between both leaders. Reports suggest Trump privately called Netanyahu “crazy” over Israel’s Lebanon operations, deepening a GOP rift over Israel policy as Netanyahu trails in polls ahead of October elections.
In a heated June call, Trump reportedly told Netanyahu he’d be facing prison without U.S. backing and warned that global opinion had turned sharply against him.
Netanyahu has since said it’s time for Israel to end its military dependence on the U.S., while warning that the Iran conflict is “not over yet.”
Diverging Stands on Iran Deal
Both leaders have had different stands lately on how the Iran situation should be dealt with. Before finally committing to a ceasefire in the Middle East, Israel was constantly escalating tensions by raiding Lebanon, even as Trump pushed for restraint to protect the broader peace process.
Iran Nuclear Talks on Pause
According to Axios, Trump said U.S.-Iran nuclear talks are paused for a week following the funeral of assassinated former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with both sides holding fire in the interim. He claimed Tehran is “begging to make a deal.”
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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