Trump says he had ‘very good meeting’ with Netanyahu amid strains over Iran war

US President Donald Trump said he held a “very good meeting” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, their first face-to-face talks since the two countries launched the war against Iran in February.“Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of Israel, along with myself and Representatives. Had a very good meeting! Obviously, many important subjects were discussed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social without elaborating.

The closed-door meeting lasted nearly 90 minutes with senior officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, in attendance.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the discussions were “positive and productive”.Netanyahu called the talks “excellent” and said they reflected full partnership and a shared objective of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The leaders also discussed the Abraham Accords and the continuing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

The meeting followed fresh signs of friction between the two allies.

Ahead of the talks, Trump criticised reports that Netanyahu planned to brief him on suspected Iranian nuclear activity at Pickaxe Mountain, saying the Israeli leader wanted Washington to remain involved.

“I don’t need Bibi to tell me that,” Trump reportedly said.“Why don’t you just tell it to me? Why do you have to announce it to the world?”

Their relationship had come under strain in June, when Trump acknowledged calling Netanyahu “crazy” during an expletive-filled phone conversation over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.

Axios at the time reported that Trump had called Netanyahu “f***ing crazy” and accused him of ingratitude as Washington sought to negotiate an end to the West Asia war.

Netanyahu eventually played down the dispute, describing such differences as “tactical disagreements” between leaders who shared broader strategic objectives.