Netanyahu and Trump Meet Amid Shifting Power Dynamics and Iran Conflict

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has met with former U.S. President Donald Trump eight times, making him the foreign leader with the most meetings with Trump. Their relationship began in February 2023, shortly after Trump’s second inauguration, when Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to visit the White House. Early discussions focused on Gaza, hostages, and Iran.

In April 2023, Netanyahu returned to Washington to lay the groundwork for the "With the Lion" operation. After the operation ended in July 2023, Netanyahu met Trump again at the White House in what was considered one of their best meetings, marked by close cooperation and Trump’s efforts to translate military gains against Iran into a new regional arrangement. Trump also pressured Netanyahu to end the Gaza conflict and secure the release of hostages.

On October 13, 2023, Trump visited Israel to celebrate the hostages’ release and the end of the Gaza war, publicly supporting Netanyahu and requesting a pardon for him in the Knesset. Two months later, Netanyahu visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida to initiate plans for the "Lion’s Roar" operation, although Trump preferred to pursue negotiations at that time.

On February 11, 2024, just weeks before the outbreak of war with Iran, Netanyahu again met Trump at the White House, where Mossad chief David Barnea presented a grand plan to overthrow the Iranian regime. However, the promised swift victory did not materialize, and the conflict has since become complicated. Since then, the two have not met, with Netanyahu seeking a meeting and Trump delaying.

Their latest meeting marks a shift in their dynamic, with Trump now setting the tone and Netanyahu in a less dominant position. Trump, aware of Netanyahu’s dependence on him, controls if and when the Iran conflict will escalate and expects Netanyahu to align with his new status.