Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing for a potential visit to Washington next week for a high-profile meeting with former President Donald Trump, according to a report by Axios.
While the visit is tentatively scheduled for Monday, April 7, sources caution that the timing could still shift. The meeting would mark Netanyahu’s first trip to the White House since February and could be the first visit from a foreign leader since Trump’s recent announcement of broad reciprocal tariffs targeting dozens of countries—including Israel.
At the top of the agenda are expected to be Israel’s response to new U.S. tariffs, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and the growing threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Under Trump’s plan, imports from Israel will be subject to a hefty 17% tariff, despite the close diplomatic and military ties between the two nations.
Trump’s decision to target Israel, which the U.S. had a $7.4 billion trade deficit with last year, has raised eyebrows. An administration official claimed Israel has been involved in intellectual property violations, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. The official’s remarks intensified tensions, especially given Israel’s longstanding position as a strategic U.S. ally and a leading recipient of American military support.
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In an attempt to preemptively ease tensions, Israel scrapped all tariffs on American imports just days before Trump’s announcement. However, that policy still needs final approval from Israeli economic officials before it can take effect.
Sources say Netanyahu will likely use the Washington meeting to push for an exemption from the new tariffs, which many in Israel view as economically damaging and diplomatically surprising.
The invitation for the visit reportedly came during a Thursday phone call between the two leaders, during which Trump hinted to reporters aboard Air Force One that Netanyahu would be in D.C. “maybe even next week.”
The Axios report suggests both Netanyahu’s team and Trump’s aides were caught off guard by the former president’s public comments, prompting a scramble to finalize plans for the visit by Friday.
Netanyahu’s previous White House visit was notable not just for its timing, but for a symbolic gift—a “golden pager.” The gesture referenced an Israeli intelligence operation in which Hezbollah devices were sabotaged, leading to dozens of militant deaths and thousands of injuries.
As Netanyahu prepares for this next trip, the stakes are high, with key issues in trade, security, and diplomacy hanging in the balance.
