A spokesman for the White House National Security Council and a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., both declined to comment. An Israeli government spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Asked about a possible meeting, Trump campaign spokesman Brian Hughes said there was “nothing at this time.”
It’s common for former presidents and candidates to meet or speak with foreign leaders, and Trump has met with other leaders, including in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday.
But the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu comes amid rising tensions between the Biden administration and Israel over the Gaza war and as U.S. officials try to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. It will also be the first public meeting between Biden and Netanyahu since Trump left office.
The relationship between the two has been strained since Trump lost the 2020 election. Biden, who falsely claimed he won, was upset when Netanyahu congratulated him on the election. Trump also criticized Netanyahu after the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the start of the war in Gaza.
According to a person familiar with the discussions, the Trump camp believes Netanyahu has said he wants to make amends with Trump and is keen to repair relations.
During his presidency, Trump, who was viewed as having a close relationship with Netanyahu, implemented a series of policies welcomed by Israel, including moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel and negotiating the Abraham Accords that normalized diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab countries.
