WASHINGTON, United States – US President Donald Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, for their first in-person talks since the start of the war in Iran.
Okay News reports that Netanyahu departed Israel on Monday for the eighth meeting between the two leaders since Trump returned to office last year. Before departing, Netanyahu said, “This is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility.” He added, “We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, first and foremost Iran. Naturally, our goal is to safeguard our security and also to expand the circle of peace around us.”
The war began with joint military strikes on Iran in late February, with hostilities flaring earlier this month after an April ceasefire collapsed. Israel has not taken part in the latest round of hostilities between the United States and Iran.
Disagreements arose between the leaders in April during negotiations on the ceasefire, with Trump later describing Netanyahu in an interview as a “very difficult guy”. Netanyahu downplayed the exchanges as “tactical disagreements”, saying both leaders remain aligned on the goals of the war.
On Tuesday, the leaders are expected to discuss the implementation of a US-sponsored framework deal signed by Israel and Lebanon last month. The talks are also expected to touch on Gaza, where diplomatic efforts regarding reconstruction remain at a standstill nearly three years after war broke out following Hamas‘s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told AFP that the primary aim of the visit is to dispel reports of a cooling in relations. “I think that the main issue… is to show the world, to show Iran, and also even Lebanon and others as well specifically, that there is no break or any kind of major disagreement between the United States and Israel,” Freeman said. He added that “there’s more in agreement between the two leaders than disagreement.”
The visit comes ahead of national elections in Israel, where Netanyahu plans to seek another term. Recent polls show Netanyahu trailing, with public anger lingering over his government’s failure to prevent the October 7, 2023 attack.
