Netanyahu denies reports of split with Trump: 'Hate to disappoint our would-be critics'

WASHINGTON, DC: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forcefully rejected suggestions that his relationship with President Donald Trump had frayed, telling reporters after their first Oval Office meeting since jointly launching the war against Iran that critics looking for daylight between the two allies would come away disappointed.

The nearly hour-and-a-half closed-door meeting was the two leaders' first face-to-face sit-down since they launched the joint war against Iran on February 28.

Trump-Netanyahu alliance faced growing strains 

"One of the best meetings that we've had," Netanyahu said. "I always hate to disappoint our would-be critics who are trying to find cracks in our alliance. And what they find like today is a wall of granite.”

“We have a common commitment. We don't want to see this fanatic regime in Tehran have nuclear weapons. We have a common goal, and it's gonna be achieved."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the meeting "positive and productive," while Trump, in a social media post hours later, described it as a "very good meeting" where "many important subjects were discussed," without offering further details.

Netanyahu continued to emphasize unity, even as tensions between him and Trump had become increasingly apparent before the visit.

After the April ceasefire fell apart, Netanyahu began losing his influence over Trump's Iran policy. In mid-June, Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Tehran despite Netanyahu's objections. Netanyahu was unable to persuade him to continue taking a harder line against Iran's military.

Trump and Netanyahu showed signs of division 

Two weeks ago, Netanyahu also failed to persuade Trump to abandon a deal to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.

Asked whether he and Netanyahu remained aligned on Iran, Trump offered a hedged answer: "We have a little difference. But pretty close, yeah." 

He was sharper hours before meeting, dismissing reports that Netanyahu planned to brief him on Iranian nuclear activity at a site known as Pickaxe Mountain. 

Speaking to 'Fox & Friends,' Trump said, "I know exactly what's going on at Pickaxe," before adding, "Why do you have to announce it to the world?"

Israeli commentators openly described Netanyahu's position as weakened.

"The Americans are making it clear to the Israelis they are the ones who are running the war," Israeli political analyst Amit Segal wrote in Israel Hayom, adding, "It is clear to everyone that Israel has been put in the back seat."

Maariv commentator Ben Caspit was even more blunt, writing after the visit, "We've lost America. Thank you, Bibi."

Netanyahu meets Trump before Iran missile attack

Netanyahu's office released photos of him and Trump smiling together in the Oval Office, flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Later that day, Netanyahu joined Trump and Vance at Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral, where he chatted with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy had met with Trump earlier that day. 

Just hours after Netanyahu's meeting with Trump, Iran fired a series of ballistic missiles at US forces in the Middle East. The US military said it intercepted every missile, but the attack underscored the region's continued instability, even as Washington sought to project a united front.