Netanyahu plans to meet with Trump, Vance, Rubio, Hegseth, Witkoff on trip to US

World July 01, 2025, 15:03

The Israeli prime minister said he also intends to meet with the speakers of Congress and participate in security-related meetings

TEL AVIV, July 1. /TASS/. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he plans to meet with US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick when he travels to Washington next week.

"I expect to travel to the United States next week for meetings with US President Donald Trump, Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Rubio, Secretary of Defense Hegseth, as well as Steve Witkoff and the secretary of commerce," he said at a cabinet meeting, according to a statement from his office.

"All of this comes on the heels of the great victory that we achieved in Operation Rising Lion," Netanyahu added, referring to the operation against Iran. "To capitalize on success is just as important as to achieve it."

He told the ministers that some issues needed to be addressed before his visit to the US, so as to reach a trade deal with Washington.

The prime minister said he also plans to meet with the speakers of Congress and participate in security-related meetings.

In late June, Axios reporter Barak Ravid and the Associated Press reported that Netanyahu would hold talks with Trump at the White House on July 7. A detailed agenda of the meeting has not yet been announced, but the sides are expected to discuss focus on the situation around Iran and in Gaza.

Overnight into June 13, Israel started a military operation against Iran. Less than a day later, Iran carried out a retaliatory attack. Nine days later, the US entered the fray. In the small hours of June 22, US forces attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities: in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. The following evening, Tehran launched missiles toward Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US air force base in the Middle East. According to the US, there were no casualties or significant damage. Trump then said Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire, which took effect on June 24.

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