Ben Gvir cancels planned U.S. trip amid visa and funding hurdles

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has canceled his planned visit to the United States after running into visa problems and earlier difficulties financing the trip. The cancellation was reported on Monday, June 15, 2026, after days of uncertainty over whether the visit would go ahead.

According to the report, Ben Gvir first sought approval for his friend, businessman Yaakov Elharar, to cover the trip, which was said to cost tens of thousands of shekels. The permit committee in the State Comptroller’s Office rejected that arrangement and imposed conditions, pushing Ben Gvir to look for other funding sources for the trip for himself and his wife.

Ben Gvir later asked to postpone a court hearing in an ongoing lawsuit against journalist Chaim Levinson, saying he intended to travel to the U.S. for “a number of meetings of diplomatic importance” and for a “personal-family event” with his wife. The report said he also mentioned a major diplomatic meeting, but did not say with whom or when it would take place.

Despite the usual streamlined entry process for Israelis, U.S. officials asked Ben Gvir to appear in person at the embassy and provide fingerprints as part of his visa application, apparently because of his criminal record. Although he holds a diplomatic passport, he was told to come to the embassy on Monday. Sources said the Americans were having difficulty processing the visa, and Ben Gvir ultimately decided to give up on the trip entirely, fearing the entry permit would arrive only after his scheduled flight.