Netanyahu Meets Trump in Washington Amidst Weakened Influence, Axios Reports

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House for the eighth time since Trump’s return to power. However, Axios reported on Tuesday, hours before the meeting, that Netanyahu is currently ‘weaker and less influential’.

Earlier this year, Trump and Netanyahu appeared to be aligned on the issue of confronting Iran. Five months later, their interests have diverged, marked by increasing distrust and disappointment on both sides.

The report indicates that communication between the two leaders has diminished in recent weeks. Netanyahu has reportedly become increasingly reliant on U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to gauge Trump’s thinking and has even sought to appease him in this week’s White House session.

The report further states that Netanyahu’s influence over Trump’s decisions has weakened since the April 8th ceasefire. Trump recently acknowledged disagreements with Netanyahu, stating in response to a question about their similar stances on Iran, ‘We have some differences, but we are very close.’