Netanyahu and Trump to meet at White House this week as policy disputes surface

The Prime Minister’s Office did not provide additional details on the timing or agenda of the White House meeting.

By Gila Isaacson, JFeed

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed Friday that he will travel to Washington this week for meetings with President Donald Trump at the White House, following reports that the administration had initially delayed the visit over disagreements on Israel’s military operations in Lebanon and Iran policy.

According to reporting by Haaretz citing two Israeli sources, the U.S. administration had requested that Netanyahu accelerate implementation of a Lebanese ceasefire framework agreement and begin withdrawal from a designated pilot zone.

An official in the Trump administration told Haaretz that no formal meeting had been scheduled for the original timeline, contradicting the Israeli account of a delay.

An Israeli official said the rescheduling was due solely to a change in the date of the funeral of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, whom Netanyahu planned to attend.

The Prime Minister’s Office did not provide additional details on the timing or agenda of the White House meeting.

The diplomatic tensions have deepened following public criticism from Vice President JD Vance.

In an interview on the Joe Rogan podcast, Vance stated that Israel is conducting a campaign among the American public for what he characterized as an “eternal war.”

Vance, who directs U.S. negotiations with Iran and is considered a moderate voice in the Trump administration, did not elaborate on the statement.

Jerusalem officials have not formally responded to Vance’s remarks.

In response to the reported strains, Netanyahu has granted a series of interviews to American media outlets in recent weeks, appearing to bypass the Trump administration and appeal directly to U.S. public opinion.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Trump agrees that foreign countries consistently attempt to influence American public attitudes, though she did not specifically reference Israel.

The meeting comes as the Trump administration expresses frustration over the lack of substantial progress in multiple Middle East theaters, according to sources familiar with the administration’s assessments.