Trump greets Netanyahu today at the White House. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
With the world waiting for word from President Trump about whether he will slow his tariff offensive or press full-steam ahead, the White House canceled a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned for Monday afternoon.
- Netanyahu and Trump are currently meeting. The White House said they would take questions on camera in the Oval Office around 2pm ET.
Why it matters: Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to meet Trump since he launched the global tariff regime. If the two can work out a deal to lift the 17% tariffs Trump slapped on Israel, global markets and other world leaders will see it as a sign the president is willing to be flexible.
State of play: U.S. markets have been swinging wildly Monday on any indication of the direction the trade war might take.
Between the lines: Trump is coming under increasingly sharp criticism from American billionaires and business leaders, including some who supported him in the election. But he sent an uncompromising message in a flurry of Truth Social posts before the meeting with Netanyahu.
- He called his critics “weak, stupid and PANICAN” and claimed “countries from all over the World are talking to us” about negotiating new trade deals.
State of play: Netanyahu landed in Washington on Sunday. He met Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to discuss the tariffs. The Prime Minister’s Office said the meeting was “productive.”
The big picture: Iran and Gaza are expected to be on the agenda, in addition to tariffs.
- Netanyahu thinks the chances of a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal are extremely low but will present to Trump what “a good deal should look like,” a senior Israeli official said.
- “Netanyahu want the Libya model. Full dismantling to the Iranian nuclear program,” the official said. Iran denies it wants a bomb, but rejects the idea of shutting down its nuclear program.
- The official added Netanyahu wants to reach an understanding with Trump about striking Iran’s nuclear facilities when diplomacy fails.
Trump and Netanyahu will also likely discuss the stalled efforts to reach a new Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.
- Trump held a call earlier Monday on Gaza with French President Emmanuel Macron, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and King Abdullah II of Jordan.
- Netanyahu also met Monday with White House envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss the efforts made by Egypt and Qatar to draft an updated ceasefire proposal.
