Trump, Netanyahu to Meet at White House for Crucial Talks on Iran and Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, with Iran expected to dominate discussions as Washington weighs diplomatic efforts against potential military action. The high-stakes meeting comes as Israel seeks to influence the scope of any potential negotiations with Tehran.

Trump has made it clear that Iran will be the central focus of their talks. In a recent interview with Axios, the president stated that Tehran “very much wants to reach a deal,” while issuing a stark warning: “Either we make a deal, or we’ll have to do something very tough — like last time.”

Before departing Israel for Washington, Netanyahu emphasized his intention to present Israel’s position regarding negotiation principles. “I will present to the president our concept regarding the principles of the negotiations — the essential principles that are important not only to Israel but to anyone who wants peace and security in the Middle East,” he told reporters.

The meeting follows renewed diplomatic engagement between U.S. and Iranian officials, who recently resumed talks in Oman for the first time since last summer’s 12-day war. Meanwhile, the United States maintains a significant military presence in the Gulf, widely interpreted as both deterrence and leverage in negotiations.

Jacob Olidort, chief research officer at the America First Policy Institute, frames Iran as a global rather than regional security challenge. “Iran is not so much a Middle East issue. It’s a global issue affecting U.S. interests around the world,” he told Fox News Digital, describing the regime as “probably the world’s oldest global terror network… [with] thousands of Americans killed through proxies.”

The U.S. strategy appears to combine diplomacy with visible military pressure. “The president has been clear… should talks not be successful, the military option cannot be off the table,” Olidort noted. “Military assets in the region serve as part of the negotiation strategy with Iran.”

For Israel, concerns extend beyond Iran’s nuclear program to include its ballistic missile arsenal and network of armed proxies throughout the region. Trump indicated to Axios that any agreement would need to address both nuclear issues and Iran’s missile capabilities.

Israeli intelligence expert Sima Shein has warned that negotiations narrowly focused on nuclear restrictions could leave Israel vulnerable. “The visit signals a lack of confidence that American envoys, Witkoff and Kushner, alone can represent Israel’s interests in the best way. They were in Israel just a week ago — but Netanyahu wants to speak directly with Trump, so there is no ambiguity about Israel’s position,” she explained.

Shein suggests Iran may be employing delaying tactics diplomatically, waiting to see if Washington limits discussions to nuclear issues while avoiding missile constraints. Her analysis indicates that a sanctions-relief agreement that leaves Iran’s broader military capabilities intact could stabilize the regime during a period of internal pressure while preserving its strategic leverage.

“An agreement now would effectively save the regime at a time when it has no real solutions to its internal problems. Lifting sanctions through a deal would give it breathing room and help stabilize it,” she noted.

Netanyahu also plans to discuss Gaza, where a U.S.-backed postwar framework and ceasefire implementation have stalled. According to Israeli media, he intends to tell Trump that phase two of the Gaza peace plan “is not moving,” reflecting ongoing disputes over disarmament, governance, and security arrangements.

The timing of Netanyahu’s visit may allow him to avoid attending the following week’s inaugural session of the Board of Peace, an initiative that has generated controversy in Israel’s parliament.

“Israel is deeply concerned about the presence of Turkey and Qatar on the board of peace and their malign influence on other members as well as on the Palestinian authority’s technocratic government,” said Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.

Diker added that Hamas’s control of Gaza remains strong while international commitments to disarm the group appear to have weakened. “The longer the U.S. waits before taking action against the Iranian regime, the more compromised Israel is in its ability and determination to forcibly disarm Hamas.”

As Netanyahu heads to Washington, the stakes could not be higher for both the United States and Israel in addressing Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional influence. The outcome of these discussions may shape Middle East security dynamics for years to come.