Netanyahu Again Coming to the White House

President Donald Trump told Axios July 4 that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked him for a meeting at the White House, and that it could take place as early as next week after Trump returns from the NATO Summit. “We get along very good. Netanyahu) knows who the boss is,” Trump said in a brief phone interview, referring to himself.

An Israeli official told Axios that next week might be too soon for the visit to take place because of Trump’s trip to Turkiye. “It might take place the week after,” the official said.The Israeli prime minister’s office confirmed that Netanyahu had called Trump on July 3 to congratulate him on the 250th Independence Day of the United States. “During their conversation, the Prime Minister said that the United States is a guarantor of global freedom, and that Israel greatly values the close relationship between the two nations. Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump agreed to meet soon in the United States,” Netanyahu’s office said.Axios notes that people in Trump’s orbit have grown increasingly skeptical and disillusioned with Netanyahu in the months since their February meeting. “Many of Trump’s closest advisers think that Bibi was wrong about everything,” a U.S. official said.Trump lashed out at Netanyahu over Israel’s escalation in Lebanon in a phone call last month, calling the prime minister “crazy” and accusing him of ingratitude, Axios continues. The tensions have deepened a broader Republican schism over Israel and the war, with MAGA influencers like Tucker Carlson accusing Trump of being beholden to Netanyahu.

Netanyahu himself denied a rift with President Donald Trump while drawing a hard line on Iran [in an interview with Fox News yesterday. Netanyahu said Israel and the U.S. shared the same goal on Iran, even as Trump pressed ahead with talks that have drawn criticism from some Israeli officials. “But I can tell you this, deal or no deal, as long as I’m prime minister, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Netanyahu said.