Netanyahu will meet Trump at the White House on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, as confirmed by the prime minister's office.
Netanyahu will also attend the funeral of Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who died on 11 July and was called a 'friend of Israel' by Netanyahu's office.
Relations soured following a joint US-Israel offensive against Iran on 28 February 2025, once hailed as a success, with tensions over continued Israeli military action in Lebanon.
In a June interview with the New York Post, Trump admitted telling Netanyahu, 'Are you completely crazy? What the hell are you doing?' and called him 'very difficult'.
The visit takes place as Netanyahu campaigns for re-election ahead of legislative elections set for 27 October 2026.
The leaders differ on whether to keep military pressure on Iran or favour diplomacy, with Trump warning that Israel's war in Lebanon complicated US-Iran ceasefire talks in April 2025.
Washington
Washington, Jerusalem · United States, Israel
How it came to this
June 2025 - New York Post interviewTrump reveals he asked Netanyahu, 'Are you completely crazy? What the hell are you doing?'
28 JulNetanyahu to meet Trump at the White House; also attends Graham's funeral.
Background of the meeting
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, his office announced. The visit comes against the backdrop of renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran and follows weeks of speculation about friction between the two leaders. Netanyahu will also attend the funeral of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on 11 July and was described by the prime minister's office as a "friend of Israel".
From alliance to friction
Since Trump returned to power in January 2025, the two have met several times, most recently on 11 February in Washington. Early in Trump's second term, Netanyahu called him "the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House."
After a joint US-Israel offensive against Iran on 28 February, which both sides initially presented as a success, the relationship began to show strain. The core disagreement is whether to maintain military pressure on Iran or pursue a diplomatic solution. During US-Iran ceasefire negotiations in April, Trump grew furious with Israel over its continued war in Lebanon against Hezbollah, warning that the operations complicated talks with Tehran.
Trump's sharp criticism
Trump's irritation spilled into public view in recent interviews. In early July he told Axios, "We get along very well, (Netanyahu) knows who's boss." In June he revealed to the New York Post that, just hours before a truce between Washington and Tehran was concluded, he had confronted Netanyahu directly.
“Are you completely crazy? What the hell are you doing?”
Netanyahu's White House visit coincides with his campaign for another term. Legislative elections in Israel are scheduled for 27 October. Israeli and American press reported that Netanyahu had been seeking a new meeting for several weeks without a fixed date, fueling the friction narrative.
Senator Graham's funeral
The trip carries additional weight because of Graham's funeral. The South Carolina senator, who died on 11 July, was an influential figure in US-Israel relations. Attending the service allows Netanyahu to honour a key Republican ally while in Washington.
Trump to host Netanyahu on Tuesday as tensions over Iran and Lebanon strain US-Israel alliance
The Israeli prime minister will also attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, as their relationship frays after a joint military offensive against Iran.
AI text based on reports by Digi24 and Stirile ProTV. Published .