Trump Hails Netanyahu as ‘Wartime Prime Minister’ in High-Stakes Mar-a-Lago Reunion

A dramatic return to the spotlight

Donald Trump greeted Benjamin Netanyahu on a flood-lit Mar-a-Lago patio Friday night, clasping the Israeli leader’s arm for the cameras and declaring him "a wartime prime minister who is fighting for the survival of his people." The moment, broadcast live by U.S. cable networks, instantly reignited speculation about the two leaders’ intertwined political futures.

What brought them together again

According to aides, the two-hour meeting began over cheeseburgers and ended with a walk around the resort’s limestone colonnade. Topics ranged from Gaza’s post-war governance to the looming U.S. presidential election, said a Trump campaign official who requested anonymity to discuss private talks.

"We see eye-to-eye on Iran," Netanyahu told reporters afterward. "And we both know the next 18 months will shape the next 18 years."

A shift in tone—and strategy

Trump’s praise marks a notable thaw. The former president had publicly chided Netanyahu for congratulating Joe Biden on winning the 2020 election, once grumbling that the Israeli premier could be "disloyal." Friday night, Trump brushed aside old grievances, focusing instead on the Oct. 7 attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis.

• Trump vowed to "starve" Iran’s economy if re-elected.
• He floated the idea of moving Gaza’s civilians to "safe zones" built by Arab states.
• He promised to "personally broker" a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia within six months of a second term.

Netanyahu’s domestic calculus

For Netanyahu, the visit offers a lifeline. Polls show his Likud party trailing a centrist bloc amid protests over judicial reform and security lapses. A warm Oval Office—or Mar-a-Lago—embrace could remind Israeli voters of his global clout.

Yet risks remain. Trump’s penchant for off-script remarks keeps diplomats on edge; one U.S. State Department veteran quipped, "Every sentence is a potential policy paper."

What happens next

Trump aides say the former president plans to unveil a "Middle East Peace 2.0" plan this summer, timed for the Republican National Convention. Netanyahu, for his part, will address a joint session of the U.S. Congress next month, seeking bipartisan support for Israel’s war aims.

Until then, the two leaders will keep the phones humming. As one Netanyahu adviser put it, "When Bibi and Trump talk, headlines follow."