President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House Tuesday for a high-stakes, in-person meeting focused on the war with Iran and broader regional diplomacy.
The leaders discussed the course of the conflict with Iran, a U.S.-brokered framework for peace in Lebanon and efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, according to officials. Trump met earlier in the day with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described both meetings as “positive and productive.”
Netanyahu posted photos from the Oval Office showing Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and special envoy Steve Witkoff in attendance. The sit-down was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since the Iran war began in late February.
The meeting comes as Netanyahu faces intense political pressure at home. Support for his handling of the Iran campaign has eroded among Israeli voters, his government is the most right-wing in Israel’s history, and he is contending with an October election. He also traveled to the U.S. to attend a memorial service for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, a prominent Israel supporter.
Relations between Trump and Netanyahu have appeared strained at times. Reports that Trump called Netanyahu “f—ing crazy” during a heated June phone call were confirmed by the president, and both leaders have publicly acknowledged tactical disagreements. Asked about their alignment on Iran, Trump said they had “a little difference, but pretty close.” Netanyahu described their disputes as tactical and said they “always find a way to work them out.”
Officials said Iran and its proxies have been striking ships and U.S. targets in the region while U.S. forces have carried out strikes over nearly two weeks. The conflict has cost American lives: four U.S. soldiers were killed in recent days, bringing the U.S. military death toll in the campaign to 18.
U.S. defense officials have warned that weapons stockpiles are drawing down. Media reporting and congressional briefings have described U.S. commanders allowing some Iranian missiles and drones to pass defenses to preserve limited supplies. The Defense Department has requested an additional $67 billion in supplemental funding to expand weapons production and accelerate deliveries.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended current capabilities on national television, saying the United States has what it needs to “conduct this campaign as effectively as it needs to be,” while also indicating that diplomatic space is being given even as “all options remain on the table.”
Netanyahu said he and U.S. intelligence services are working closely and that the meeting was an opportunity to hear President Trump’s thinking. He warned that if Iran attacks Israel directly or through proxies with ballistic missiles or drones, Israel’s response would be “very, very forceful.”
Beyond Iran, Trump has tied a potential U.S. civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia to normalization of ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, a condition Netanyahu publicly supported. The meeting also occurred against a backdrop of debate over whether Netanyahu would be welcomed or subject to legal action if he travels to New York for the U.N. General Assembly in September. New York’s mayor said the city lacks authority to arrest the Israeli prime minister on an International Criminal Court warrant; Trump responded that Netanyahu “will not be arrested” while in the United States. The ICC issued arrest warrants in 2024 alleging crimes against humanity in relation to Israel’s campaign in Gaza, charges Israeli officials reject.
Trump has so far declined to explicitly endorse Netanyahu’s re-election, calling him “a great wartime prime minister” but avoiding direct commentary on Netanyahu’s politics. Netanyahu, for his part, emphasized the value of close coordination with the United States and framed the visit as part of ongoing strategic consultations.
The meeting highlighted both the operational and political challenges that Washington and Jerusalem face as the Iran conflict continues and regional diplomacy remains volatile. With U.S. forces engaged, dwindling stockpiles, congressional funding requests pending and domestic politics pressing in both countries, officials said the leaders used the White House visit to align strategy, explore options and reaffirm close ties despite occasional tensions.