"Iran Will Be in Great Danger": Trump’s warning on nuclear threat as he meets Netanyahu

On Monday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, marking their second encounter since Trump’s second term began. The visit, which took place on April 7, 2025, unfolded against a backdrop of escalating regional tensions, trade disputes, and the ongoing hostage crisis in Gaza. The leaders kicked off the day with a lunch at the White House, followed by an expanded meeting with their teams, and concluded with a private tête-à-tête. Afterward, they delivered statements from the Oval Office, as the White House had abruptly canceled a previously scheduled joint press conference just minutes before Netanyahu’s arrival, offering no immediate explanation.

Opening the Oval Office remarks, Trump greeted Netanyahu warmly: "It was an honor to host a special person; I’ve known him for a long time. We’ve reached good solutions. We appreciate that you’re here. I’m the best president Israel could have dreamed of. We had good talks, discussing Iran and trade." Netanyahu reciprocated the sentiment, saying, "I want to thank you for inviting me. You’re a great friend of Israel. You do what you say, and we appreciate it—the Jewish people appreciate it." He praised Trump’s efforts against antisemitism and dove into the tariff discussions: "We’ll remove trade barriers. I told the president we’ll wipe out the trade deficit and do it quickly. I believe in free trade that needs to be fair."

The hostage crisis topped their agenda. Netanyahu emphasized, "The issue of the hostages was at the forefront of our talks with President Trump. We’re working on another deal, and we hope we’ll succeed in getting all the hostages out and removing Hamas from the Gaza Strip." He shared that he’d spoken with hostages’ families the day prior, calling their plight "an unbearable human story." Trump, reflecting on his own meetings with released hostages at the White House, added, "They looked scarred. I asked them if Hamas showed them affection, if they told them it’d be okay—everyone said no. They lived in hell." He later elaborated, "There are young people in captivity. Israeli parents tell me their son is dead but ask me to do them the greatest favor by bringing him back. They talk about them as if they’re alive. It’s probably a matter of religion or faith. Many of them are dead, and we’ll bring them back too. There are people living in hell right now, looking like they came out of concentration camps, just like the pictures from the 1940s. The second group that came out—I said it’s simply unbelievable."

Netanyahu also highlighted Trump’s "courageous vision" for Gaza, revealing, "We talked not only about the hostages but also about Gaza. Trump is talking about giving Gazans a chance to leave. We’re giving them a choice. We spoke about several countries that say: If the Gazans want to leave, we’ll take them in. I think it’s the right thing to do. The president has a vision, and countries are responding to it." He elaborated, "We want to give the people in Gaza a choice; in Gaza, they’re trapped. What’s wrong with giving them a choice? We talked this afternoon about countries that want to take them in, and it’s the right thing to leave. It’ll take years to rebuild Gaza, and we hope we’ll have good news." Trump chimed in, revisiting his long-standing real estate lens on the region: "I think the Gaza Strip is an amazing piece of real estate. It’s a great location that people wanted to live in. I don’t understand why Israel gave it up. Bibi wouldn’t have done that. They took beachfront property and gave it away. It should be a safe zone; it shouldn’t have been given up. It’s one of the most dangerous places in the world. I don’t know why Israel gave them that land. They did it because they were promised peace. It’s the most dangerous land in the world." He added, "Right now, Gaza is a dangerous death trap, and I don’t like that. We’ll take over it. It’s a great place. There are many countries ready to take in the Gazans; it’ll be a free zone."

Iran emerged as another focal point. Netanyahu noted, "We talked about Iran, about how Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons. If it can be done diplomatically, like Libya, all the better." Trump dropped a bombshell, announcing, "We’ll have direct talks with Iran, and they’ll start on Saturday. I hope they’ll be successful." He clarified, "The talks with Iran will be with the most senior levels. There’s a big meeting on Saturday; we’ll discuss directly and maybe reach an agreement. It’d be great for Iran." However, he issued a stern warning: "If the talks don’t succeed, Iran will be in great danger because it cannot have nuclear weapons. If the talks fail, it’ll be a very bad day for Iran. I hate to say it, but Iran can’t have a nuclear program. If the talks don’t succeed, Iran will be in great danger." Netanyahu aligned with this stance, saying, "We’re united in the position that Iran won’t acquire nuclear weapons. If we can reach an arrangement—that’s good." Trump kept the meeting’s location under wraps, stating, "I can’t reveal where the meeting with Iran will take place."

On the tariff front, Trump addressed a question about reducing the 17% levy on Israel, quipping to journalist Suleiman Maswadeh, "We give Israel billions of dollars. Billions of dollars. We give them $4 billion a year. Congratulations on that, by the way," glancing at Netanyahu. He boasted of broader trade shifts: "Countries that once wouldn’t discuss trade are suddenly coming to us with offers on tariffs—even Bibi here started with a promise to remove all tariffs." Netanyahu had earlier pledged, "We’ll erase the trade restrictions. I told the president we’ll eliminate the trade deficit and do it fast." Trump framed the tariffs as a corrective measure: "We’ve been taken advantage of by many countries for years. We can’t be fools anymore. We’re working on a new trade deal with Israel. We help Israel a lot; we bring them billions of dollars every year, and we help other countries too." He took aim at global trade partners, warning, "If China doesn’t remove the tariffs it imposed by tomorrow at 12, we’ll impose additional tariffs on them," and criticized the EU, saying, "They screw us and treat us unfairly, even though we fund NATO. There’s a $350 billion deficit, but it’ll disappear quickly. They’ll have to buy energy from us."

The leaders also touched on regional dynamics. Netanyahu mentioned, "We talked about the situation in Syria and Turkey trying to establish itself there." On Yemen’s Houthis, Trump declared, "We have a big problem with the Houthis in Yemen. We hit them hard. They don’t know what to do; we eliminated leaders and experts who made sophisticated missiles. We made it clear that Tehran must stop aiding them, and they complied. We have a great military."

Trump lauded Netanyahu as "a great leader" and praised his tireless work to free the hostages. The White House’s official record of Netanyahu’s arrival noted, "President Trump welcomes Prime Minister Netanyahu for his second meeting in this term—just 62 days after Netanyahu became the first foreign leader received at the White House in this term." The high-stakes talks, blending personal rapport with geopolitical heft, underscored the intricate dance between U.S. support, Israeli policy, and a volatile Middle East landscape.