Tariffs, Iran, and Gaza: Netanyahu prepares for high-stakes White House visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to visit the White House on Monday, April 7, according to four sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Axios.

If the visit proceeds as currently planned, Netanyahu would become the first foreign leader to meet with former President Donald Trump in person to negotiate the removal of newly imposed tariffs. The meeting is also expected to cover major regional issues, including the deepening crisis surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and the ongoing war in Gaza.

The visit’s timing is still uncertain and could be affected by Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial. In order to travel to Washington this week, he would need to request the cancellation of scheduled court hearings during which he is expected to continue giving testimony. The sources emphasized that the trip remains tentative for this reason.

Israel had previously attempted to avoid being hit by Trump’s sweeping new tariffs—imposed on nearly every country—by announcing it would unilaterally remove all tariffs on US imports. The strategy failed. Trump proceeded with a 17% tariff rate on Israeli goods, citing the significant trade deficit between the two countries.

The background to the planned visit includes a phone call Trump made on April 3 to Netanyahu and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán while Netanyahu was in Budapest. That call was primarily prompted by Hungary’s announcement that it would withdraw from the International Criminal Court, but during the conversation Netanyahu raised concerns about the newly announced tariffs. Trump responded by inviting Netanyahu to the White House for further discussion, though no firm date was initially given.

Just hours after that call, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that Netanyahu might be visiting as early as the following week. This announcement reportedly surprised both Netanyahu’s delegation and members of Trump’s own team. Until that point, US and Israeli officials had anticipated that the visit would happen later in April, possibly during the Passover holiday, which begins on April 14.

However, subsequent discussions between the White House and Netanyahu’s office on Friday led to a shift in tone, with both sides beginning to consider an earlier visit, according to the sources. As of now, neither the White House nor the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has issued a public comment on the matter.

While the tariffs are expected to dominate the conversation, both leaders are also likely to address shared concerns over Iran and Gaza. According to a senior Israeli official, Netanyahu believes the chances of a diplomatic breakthrough between the US and Iran are slim, and he wants to secure an understanding with Trump about taking military action against Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations collapse.

Additionally, Netanyahu and Trump are expected to discuss the impasse in efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and to secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas, which remains a critical issue in the region’s worsening humanitarian crisis.

By Tamilla Hasanova