President Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested a meeting at the White House, with the encounter potentially scheduled for next week once Trump returns from the NATO summit in Turkey.
"We get along very good. He knows who the boss is," Trump said in a phone interview Saturday, referring to himself.
Netanyahu's office confirmed the prime minister called Trump on Friday to congratulate him on the 250th Independence Day. During that conversation, the two leaders agreed to meet soon in the United States, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office, which emphasized that Israel values its close relationship with the country.
An Israeli official cautioned that the timing may slip. Next week could prove too tight given Trump's NATO trip on July 7-8, the official said, suggesting the visit might occur the following week instead.
This would mark the first face-to-face meeting between the two since February, when Netanyahu traveled to the Situation Room to present Trump with a plan for a joint military operation against Iran.
Cracks in the alliance
The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu has deteriorated markedly since that February encounter. Advisers close to Trump have grown skeptical of the Israeli leader, with one U.S. official noting that many of Trump's inner circle believe Netanyahu miscalculated on major decisions.
Trump himself has lashed out publicly. During a phone call last month, Trump called Netanyahu "crazy" and criticized him for escalating military operations in Lebanon, accusing him of ingratitude.
The tensions reflect a broader shift in Republican politics over Israel policy. Some influential voices in Trump's orbit, including Tucker Carlson, have accused Trump of being unduly influenced by Netanyahu, feeding into larger disputes within the party over the war and regional strategy.
Trump and Netanyahu's interests have diverged on several key issues. Last month, Trump signed a memorandum of understanding extending a ceasefire with Iran and restarting nuclear talks, despite Netanyahu's objections. Trump also pressed Netanyahu to limit Israeli military operations in Lebanon, where fighting was seen as an obstacle to the Iran negotiations.
The proposed White House visit carries significant political weight for Netanyahu, who is launching his campaign for Israeli elections scheduled for October. Current polling shows him trailing in the race.
On the Iran front, Trump claimed negotiations are progressing. He said Iranians "are begging to make a deal" and that both sides agreed to pause talks for a week following the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in what Trump described as a joint U.S.-Israeli operation on the first day of the war.
Trump said neither side will fire weapons during the pause. He appeared to revel in the U.S. military position, saying one shot could take out Iranian leadership, but that doing so would eliminate negotiating partners.
Trump expressed skepticism about scenes of Iranians mourning at Khamenei's funeral, questioning whether the grief was genuine. "Maybe it's fake tears," he said.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's 'boss is me' remark signals he intends to call the shots on both Israel and Iran policy, but his fraying relationship with Netanyahu suggests the leverage cuts both ways."
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