WASHINGTON (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington as early as next week, according to two U.S. officials familiar with preliminary planning for the trip.
Should the trip come together in that timeframe, Netanyahu could be the first foreign leader to meet with 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.
Trump teased the upcoming visit in a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One, but didn't provide scheduling details. “I’m going to be speaking with Bibi Netanyahu in the not too distant future," he said.
Netanyahu's plans were first reported by Axios. Netanyahu’s spokesman, Omer Dostri, said Monday on the social platform X 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 traveling to Israel on Wednesday to keep focusing on the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
“We have to implement the agreement in a correct way,” he said. “The execution of the agreement was important. It was the first step, but without the implementation correct, we’re not going to get it right — we’re going to have a flare-up, and that’s not a good thing. So, we’re going to watch it.”
The U.S. officials said Witkoff is particularly interested in advancing the implementation and the release of Americans and others still held hostage by Hamas as well as shoring up the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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AP reporters Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, Will Weissert in Washington and Jennifer Peltz in New York City contributed to this report.
