Netanyahu planning to meet with Trump in White House on Monday: Axios
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The Israeli premier may visit the White House Monday to discuss tariffs, Iran, and Gaza with Trump, pending a delay in his corruption trial testimony.
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President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning a visit to the White House on Monday, Axios reported, citing four sources familiar with the matter.
If the trip goes ahead as scheduled, Netanyahu would become the first foreign leader to meet with President Donald Trump in person to negotiate a potential rollback of US tariffs.
The two are also expected to discuss the Iranian nuclear issue and the ongoing war on Gaza.
Trump’s most sweeping set of tariffs to date came into effect on Saturday, a move that could provoke retaliation and intensify trade tensions with the potential to destabilize the global economy.
The new measures impose a 10% “baseline” tariff, applying to nearly all US imports except those from Mexico and Canada. Trump enacted the tariffs under emergency economic powers, citing concerns over the country’s trade deficits.
According to the White House, these deficits stem from a lack of reciprocity in trade relationships, as well as policies such as “exorbitant value-added taxes.”
Starting April 9, approximately 60 trading partners — including the European Union, Japan, and China — are expected to face even higher, country-specific tariff rates.
However, for the visit to proceed this week, Netanyahu would need to request a postponement of scheduled hearings in his ongoing corruption trial, during which he is due to continue his testimony.
The sources noted that the visit remains tentative, largely due to this unresolved legal hurdle.
In an effort to avoid Trump's globally imposed tariffs, "Israel" had announced plans to unilaterally eliminate tariffs on US products. Nevertheless, the move did not sway the Trump administration, which imposed a 17% tariff rate on "Israel".
Trump phoned Netanyahu and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday while the Israeli premier was visiting Budapest. The call was initiated following Hungary’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), but Netanyahu also raised concerns about the new tariffs during the conversation.
Trump responded by inviting Netanyahu to the White House for further discussions, though he did not provide a specific date. Hours later, while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Netanyahu would visit Washington “maybe even next week.”
The comment caught Netanyahu and his staff off guard, as did some of Trump’s own aides, Axios noted.
US and Israeli officials had originally expected the meeting to take place later in April, possibly during Passover week, beginning April 14. Nonetheless, by Friday, discussions between the White House and Netanyahu’s office had shifted toward the possibility of an earlier visit, the four sources said.
In addition to the tariffs, talks between Trump and Netanyahu are expected to cover Iran and the war on Gaza.
According to a senior Israeli official, Netanyahu believes the prospects for reviving the Iran nuclear deal are very slim and is seeking an understanding with Trump about the potential for military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities should diplomacy collapse.
The US president and Israeli prime minister are also likely to address the stalled negotiations over a new ceasefire and captive deal in Gaza.
