Benjamin Netanyahu has long claimed to have President Donald Trump’s ear, but as the US president tours the Middle East this week, signs suggest the Israeli prime minister’s influence may be fading.
On Monday, Hamas released American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from Gaza following negotiations conducted without Netanyahu’s involvement. The Israeli government was only formally notified after the deal was secured. Alexander expressed his gratitude to Trump on a whiteboard as he was evacuated to hospital.
In a surprising move the next day, Trump lifted sanctions on Syria and met with its new interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Riyadh. Al-Sharaa has been denounced by Israel as a dangerous jihadist, yet Trump described him as “young, attractive” and “a fighter.”
This shift adds to previous divergences between Trump and Netanyahu. On May 6, Trump declared a ceasefire with Yemen’s Houthi militants, leaving Israel isolated in its fight against the group, which has since fired several ballistic missiles at Israeli territory — including during Trump’s stay in Saudi Arabia.
At the heart of the tension is Trump’s pursuit of direct negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, sidelining Netanyahu from an issue that has defined his leadership and where he has clashed with US presidents in the past.
Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the US, observed, “It certainly doesn’t look like Netanyahu has Trump’s ear right now — and if he has his ear, he doesn’t have Trump’s heart and mind.”
Trump’s current Middle East tour appears motivated by broader American interests, particularly economic ones. “Israel doesn’t have a trillion dollars to invest in the US,” Oren noted, contrasting Israel’s position with that of wealthy Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Despite the apparent cooling of ties, Trump continues to echo Netanyahu’s tough rhetoric on Hamas and has supported Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Talks with Iran might yet falter, potentially bringing Trump back in line with Netanyahu’s hardline stance.
However, Netanyahu’s reluctance to swiftly end the Gaza war complicates Trump’s ability to advance one of his hallmark achievements: the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states. Saudi Arabia, key to further progress, has refused to join the accords until there is a pathway to a Palestinian state and an end to hostilities in Gaza.
Trump’s easing of tensions with Syria and pursuit of talks with Iran also allow Gulf countries to bolster his image as a peacemaker—an image that supports his ambitions for the Abraham Accords and even a Nobel Peace Prize.
Netanyahu’s inner circle remains cautiously pragmatic about the divisions, though some Israeli officials, including Likud minister Dudi Amsalem, have openly criticized the US administration for bypassing Israel in sensitive negotiations like the recent hostage release.
During his trip, Trump expressed appreciation for Israel but notably did not mention Netanyahu by name. When asked about Israel’s role in securing Alexander’s release, Trump said, “I think they deserve a lot of credit, maybe the most,” but emphasized that the US was responsible for the hostage’s freedom.
The divergent approaches extend to Iran, where Trump appears open to a deal allowing limited nuclear enrichment, a position Netanyahu vehemently opposes. Netanyahu successfully pressured Trump in 2018 to withdraw from a prior Iran nuclear deal, warning Tehran’s civilian program was a cover for weapons development.
Although recent talks have seen the US harden its stance on enrichment, it remains uncertain if Trump will maintain this position, leaving Netanyahu’s hopes for a complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear ambitions in doubt.
A source familiar with US-Israel relations summarized the situation: “The pattern for Netanyahu has not been great, just in the last two weeks. Trump has given Bibi a lot of room on the Gaza war. The question is how long will that last?”
