President Trump met privately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday, insisting that U.S. negotiations with Iran continue over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Trump said he urged Netanyahu to continue negotiations to see if a deal can be reached, writing on Truth Social after the meeting that “there was nothing definitive reached” beyond pushing talks forward and saying a deal would be preferable but the outcome remains uncertain if negotiations fail. He referenced prior talks that ended before U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during last year’s Israel-Iran conflict, warning Tehran should be “more reasonable and responsible.”
Vice President JD Vance said the focus is preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, not pursuing regime change. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations should address Iran’s missile program, proxy groups, and treatment of its population, while Iran has said sanctions relief must be tied to nuclear limits and insists its missile capabilities are “nonnegotiable.”
Netanyahu also met with Rubio and White House advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner before the meeting. The visit was moved up from a planned trip next week due to rising regional tensions. It followed the opening round of U.S.-Iran talks in Oman last weekend, with another round expected soon.
