Netanyahu hopes to meet Trump in Washington as soon as next week, US officials say

Israel’s PM could be first foreign leader to meet Trump at White House since inauguration. India’s Modi also to meet Trump in US next month

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Donald Trump, right, and Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington during Trump’s last presidency in 2020. The Israeli PM is expected to meet the newly elected US president at the White House as early as next week. Photo: Abaca Press / TNS

Published: 5:44am, 28 Jan 2025Updated: 8:47am, 28 Jan 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington as early as next week, according to two US officials familiar with preliminary planning for the trip.

Should the trip come together in that time frame, Netanyahu could be the first foreign leader to meet Trump at the White House since his inauguration last week.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the planning remains tentative, said details could be arranged when Trump’s special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, travels to Israel this week for talks with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.

The White House had no immediate comment on the plans, which were first reported by Axios. Netanyahu’s spokesman, Omer Dostri, said on Monday on social media that the Israeli leader has not yet received an official invitation to the White House.

An Israeli official, however, said Netanyahu is expected to go to the White House in February but did not have a date. That official spoke on condition of anonymity pending an official announcement.

Witkoff told an audience at the ceremonial opening of a New York City synagogue on Sunday that he would be travelling to Israel on Wednesday to keep focusing on the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.