US President Donald Trump has asserted that Israel "wouldn't survive" without American support, just hours before a scheduled White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, July 28. This will be their eighth meeting since Trump took office in January 2025.
Trump's Statement on Air Force One
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said: "Frankly we're being very nice to a lot of countries that would not survive without us. And you know who wouldn't survive without us? Israel. Bibi's coming, he'll tell you."
Netanyahu's Approach and Tensions
According to a source briefed on the matter, Netanyahu is approaching the meeting in "listening mode," as reported by the Financial Times. The source said: "Netanyahu wants it to be about more than just Hormuz." Reports have highlighted a divide between Trump and Netanyahu over the Iran war, with the Israeli leader reportedly wanting to expand military action in Iran.
The US and Israel conducted joint strikes on several key Iranian sites on February 28, triggering a major conflict. Iran retaliated by striking sites across the region and closing the Strait of Hormuz waterway.
F-35 Concerns and White House Agenda
The FT source added that Netanyahu will also raise concerns about Türkiye's request to buy F-35 fighter jets from the US, which he believes would weaken Israel's military advantage in the Middle East.
A White House official told the Financial Times that Trump would "discuss the conflict in Iran, progress with the Trilateral Framework in Lebanon, and expanding the Abraham Accords."
Trump's Michigan Speech
During a speech in Michigan on Monday, Trump said he is making the "largest-ever investment in the United States Armed Forces," which he called the strongest military in the world. "We're winning big time with the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said. "We're ensuring that they're never having a nuclear weapon. It's very simple. If you understood the power of the nuclear weapons, you'd understand exactly what I was saying."
