Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, becoming the first foreign leader to personally request relief from new US tariffs that have rattled global trade.
According to news agency AFP, Netanyahu and Trump also discussed the ongoing war in Gaza, the fate of hostages held by Hamas, and rising tensions with Iran. The meeting comes shortly after Trump imposed a 17 percent tariff on Israeli imports during his “Liberation Day” announcement last week.
🇺🇸🇮🇱 President Trump welcomes Prime Minister Netanyahu for their second meeting this term—just 62 days after @Netanyahu became the first foreign leader welcomed at the White House this term. pic.twitter.com/xmf24BMaET
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 7, 2025
Trump welcomed Netanyahu outside the West Wing with a fist pump, and the two, dressed in matching dark suits, red ties, and white shirts, proceeded inside for discussions in the Oval Office. However, in a departure from protocol, a scheduled joint press conference was cancelled at short notice without explanation. During Netanyahu’s last visit, the two leaders had addressed the media together.
Netanyahu’s visit marks his second since Trump returned to office and was organised hastily following the announcement of tariffs. Despite Israel being the top recipient of US military aid, Trump defended the tariff move, citing a “significant trade deficit” with Israel.
Netanyahu On Meeting With Trump: ‘We’ll Discuss Hostages, Gaza, Tariffs’
Speaking ahead of his departure to Washington, Netanyahu said, “We will discuss the hostages, achieving victory in Gaza, and of course the tariff regime that has also been imposed on Israel.”
“I’m the first international leader, the first foreign leader who will meet with President Trump on a matter so crucial to Israel’s economy,” he added in a video statement. “There is a long line of leaders who want to do this. I believe this reflects the special personal relationship and the unique bond between the United States and Israel, which is so vital at this time.”
According to his office, Netanyahu met US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Sunday evening. He also met Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Monday.
According to AFP, Trump, speaking to reporters on Sunday, confirmed, “We’re going to talk about trade, and we’re going to talk about the obvious subject.” He added, “There’s a lot of things going on with the Middle East right now that have to be silenced.”
The war in Gaza, reignited after Hamas’s October 2023 attack, has continued with Israeli strikes resuming on 18 March following the collapse of a ceasefire brokered by the US, Egypt, and Qatar. Trump has expressed staunch support for Israel, blaming Hamas for failing to release hostages.
Meanwhile, the United States has faced criticism for its muted response to an Israeli strike last month in Gaza that killed 15 medics and rescuers. On Monday, Israel’s army chief ordered a “deeper” probe into the incident.
France, Egypt Urge Swift Return To Gaza Truce
French President Emmanuel Macron, who was in Cairo on Monday, said he had coordinated a phone call with Trump alongside the leaders of Egypt and Jordan, urging a swift return to the truce. They also reiterated that the Palestinian Authority must oversee post-war governance in Gaza, rejecting Trump’s suggestion that the US should “own” the enclave after the conflict, as per AFP.
On Iran, Trump has been pushing for direct negotiations with Tehran on a revised nuclear deal. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghai described Tehran’s proposal for indirect talks as “generous, responsible and wise.”
Amid speculation over a possible Israeli or joint US-Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Netanyahu arrived in Washington directly from Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) following the issuance of an arrest warrant against Netanyahu related to the Gaza war.
Both Netanyahu and Orban had held a phone call with Trump on Thursday ahead of the Israeli leader’s visit, AFP reported.
