Iran threats, flattery, unresolved gaps: What Trump really gave Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago
At their meeting at Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump heaped compliments on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but offered few concrete achievements.
TEL AVIV — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not have asked for a better start to the new year. His host at Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump, plied him with flattery on Monday, telling reporters at a joint news conference that without Netanyahu at the helm, Israel would not have survived the past two years of war on multiple fronts.
Trump also appeared to accede to Netanyahu’s pressure for a definitive stance on Iran’s reported efforts to rebuild its ballistic missile arsenal. Asked by reporters whether the US would back an Israeli attack on Iran’s missile program, Trump said, “If they will continue with the missiles, yes. The nuclear? Fast. OK? One will be: Yes, absolutely. The other is: We’ll do it immediately.”
Showering Netanyahu with gifts
After the meeting, a source in the prime minister's entourage told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, "The president made it very clear that he does not rule out another attack on Iran, nor does he rule out another attack with American participation in Iran. This is excellent news."
