US President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House on Tuesday, July 28. This marked their first meeting since US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February triggered a regional conflict. Netanyahu, who was in Washington for the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, met with Trump for approximately an hour and a half.
The meeting comes as both leaders face significant domestic pressures. President Trump is under pressure to end an unpopular war that has caused economic havoc and driven prices higher ahead of the November midterms. Prime Minister Netanyahu is up for reelection and has seen his relationship with Trump fray, with the US president previously issuing public and occasionally profane rebukes during ceasefire negotiations in April.
During the talks, which the White House described as positive and productive, the leaders sought to patch over public disagreements regarding the war in Iran. Netanyahu stated that the meeting focused on the common goal of ensuring Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons. Before the sit-down, the Trump administration pressed Netanyahu to show seriousness in advancing peace talks in Gaza and Lebanon, as Washington confirmed a new round of Israeli-Lebanese talks.
These diplomatic efforts occur as the US pauses strikes in Iran to negotiate, though President Trump has renewed threats if diplomacy fails. While the US military recently thwarted an attempted surprise attack by Iran following a lull in fighting, Iran claims the US is struggling to end the five-month-old war. Meanwhile, continued strikes in Gaza despite a cease-fire, the occupation of southern Lebanon, and settler violence in the West Bank have soured public and political opinion of Israel in the US.