President Trump, in an exclusive interview with Axios published Saturday, said Prime Minister Netanyahu 'knows who the boss is' and suggested the two are working on arrangements for an upcoming White House visit by the Israeli leader.
In an exclusive interview with Axios published Saturday evening, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "knows who the boss is" and indicated that Netanyahu had requested the meeting. The remarks, which appeared at 20:58 Jerusalem, build on an earlier confirmation from Trump at 20:32 Jerusalem that a White House visit by Netanyahu is expected next week. The president's latest comments underscore the personal tone of the bilateral relationship as both sides continue to coordinate on multiple diplomatic fronts.
Our reporting on this story began at 20:32 Jerusalem, when Trump first confirmed that Netanyahu would visit the White House next week. At 20:58 Jerusalem, we published the first version of Trump's remarks, citing Israeli media reports that the president described his relationship with Netanyahu as "excellent" and said Netanyahu "knows who the boss is." A second update at the same time, based on the Axios interview, clarified that Netanyahu specifically requested the meeting and that Trump repeated the same phrase directly. The progression from indirect media reports to direct quotes illustrates the evolution of source credibility in this thread.
As The Zioneer reported on June 14, Trump has been pushing a Memorandum of Understanding with Iran despite Israeli reservations, driven by concerns over the Strait of Hormuz and global recession. On June 9, Trump signaled a final nuclear deal was imminent. On June 22, he threatened to "blow the sh*t out of" Iran over the strait. These reports frame the visit as part of a broader diplomatic push involving Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, and a potential nuclear agreement.
The exact date of Netanyahu's White House visit and the full agenda remain unconfirmed. It is also unclear whether the meeting will produce a final agreement on the Strait of Hormuz or the nuclear deal that Trump has previously indicated is close.
3 developments
- StrongSenior US official: We're talking to Netanyahu; Trump spoke with him yesterday
- DevelopingTrump says ties with Netanyahu are 'excellent,' denies frustration
- StrongTrump: Netanyahu 'a fighter,' deserves credit; shares article on uncertain re-election odds
- StrongNetanyahu and Trump agree to White House meeting
Source and signal
- Internal intake