Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed Israel on Monday for the US, where he will meet with President Trump and also attend the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham.
In remarks before boarding his plane, Netanyahu noted that it would mark his eighth meeting with Trump since the US president returned to office in January 2025.
“I am on my way to Washington for a meeting with our friend, President Donald Trump. This is my eighth meeting with him since he was elected president for his second term, more than any other international leader. This is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader said they would “first and foremost” discuss Iran, and according to Israeli media, he is expected to present President Trump with intelligence that claims Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, likely an effort to get the US to restart its airstrikes against Iran and further escalate the war.
The last time Netanyahu was in Washington was February 11, 17 days before the US and Israel launched the war against Iran. According to a report from The New York Times, Netanyahu provided Trump with an intelligence briefing at the time to sell the idea of attacking the Islamic Republic.
The report said Netanyahu made a series of predictions about the war that proved to be wrong, including the idea that Iran was ripe for regime change, that its ballistic missile program could be destroyed within weeks, and that it would be too weak to close the Strait of Hormuz.
In his remarks on Monday, Netanyahu praised Lindsey Graham, who was known for his staunch support of Israel and obsessive drive to bring the US into war with Iran. “I am also embarking on another mission: To pay final respects to our friend, a true friend of mine and of the State of Israel, Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest friends the State of Israel has ever known,” Netanyahu said.
