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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to visit Washington on 7 April to meet with US President Donald Trump to discuss new tariffs. This was reported by Axios, citing four sources familiar with the situation.
The first leader in tariff negotiations
If the visit is confirmed, Netanyahu will be the first foreign leader to personally arrive at the White House to discuss a new tariff package. This underscores the strategic importance of Israeli-American relations in the face of economic turbulence.
According to Axios, Israel had previously tried to avoid the US duties by announcing the preemptive cancellation of all restrictions on imports of American products. However, this move did not change Washington’s mind: the Trump administration imposed a 17 per cent duty on Israeli goods, citing a deficit in bilateral trade.
Trade policy and geopolitics
During the visit, the parties also plan to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme and the escalating conflict in the Gaza Strip, two key areas of joint security policy between the United States and Israel.
According to sources, the impetus for agreeing on the date of the visit was a phone call from Trump on 3 April, when Netanyahu was on an official visit to Budapest. The US president also called Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban over Budapest’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. During the conversation with Netanyahu, the issue of customs policy was also raised.
Later, Trump told reporters on board Air Force One that the Israeli prime minister would visit the White House “maybe even next week”.
Political background of the visit
It was previously thought that the meeting would take place later, tentatively during the Passover celebrations that begin on 14 April. The acceleration of the visit may indicate rising tensions in trade negotiations and Israel’s desire to resolve economic disputes with Washington as soon as possible.
The official confirmation of the visit is expected to be announced shortly.
