Trump Meets with Netanyahu, Discusses Gaza, Iran, West Bank, and Lebanon
On December 29, President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The encounter was their sixth since Trump returned to office on January 20, 2025. During a press briefing, Trump indicated that he and Netanyahu are aligned on the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan and warned Hamas that there would be “hell to pay” if it does not disarm within a “very short period.” Trump also repeated his claim that other countries are willing to disarm Hamas. While Trump has said this several times in recent months, no country has yet announced plans to join the International Stabilization Force contained in his peace plan for Gaza. Trump claimed that Israeli President Isaac Herzog had told him that a pardon for Netanyahu, who is facing a corruption trial, was “on its way,” an assertion that Herzog later denied.
Trump also urged Israel to “get along” with Syria, despite Israel’s ongoing military incursions into Syrian territory. When pressed on the potential for conflict between Israel and Turkey, Trump described Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as “a very good friend” and insisted that “we’re not going to have a problem” between Israel and Turkey. He added that he was seriously considering selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Trump was asked about the possibility of Turkish troops in Gaza and responded that “We’ll be talking about it, and if it’s good, I think that’s good.”
During the press briefing, Trump was also asked about rising settler violence in the occupied West Bank and said that he and Netanyahu “have had a big discussion for a long time on the West Bank, and I wouldn’t say we agree on the West Bank one hundred percent. But we’ll come to a conclusion,” without providing details.
Additionally, Trump predicted that Saudi Arabia would join the Abraham Accords “at some point.”
Asked whether Israel should strike Hezbollah in Lebanon over its refusal to disarm, Trump responded, “We’re going to see about that,” adding that “the Lebanese government is at a little bit of a disadvantage with Hezbollah” and that Hezbollah “has been behaving badly.”
On Iran, Trump warned that the United States could carry out additional military strikes if Tehran attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program, saying that “if it’s confirmed, they know the consequences, and the consequences will be very powerful, maybe more powerful than the last time.”
Also happening in Washington last week…
I. Executive Branch
1) White House
Trump Administration Orders Nearly 30 US Ambassadors to Leave Their Posts. On December 22, the Associated Press reported that the Trump administration, in a highly unusual move, ordered the recall of nearly 30 career diplomats serving as ambassadors and in other senior embassy posts as part of an effort to ensure that US missions align with the administration’s “America First” priorities. Africa is the most affected region, with ambassadors recalled from 13 countries, including Somalia. In North Africa, the administration recalled US ambassadors to Egypt and Algeria.
Trump Extends Duty-Free Access for Israeli Agricultural Products Through 2026. On December 29, President Trump signed a proclamation extending duty-free access for certain Israeli agricultural products entering the United States through the end of 2026.
Trump Says United States Is “Locked and Loaded” If Iran Kills Protesters. On January 2, following days of widespread demonstrations against the Iranian government, President Trump said on Truth Social that the United States would come to “rescue” protesters in Iran if the government uses lethal force against them.
2) Department of State
Rubio Speaks with French Foreign Minister. On December 23, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot to discuss the urgent need for a humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan and the implementation of Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
United States “Concerned” by Events in Southern Yemen. On December 26, the Department of State spokesperson released a statement raising concerns about the unstable situation in Yemen’s south, after the Emirates-backed Southern Transition Council forces seized territory and declared an independence plan, and Saudi Arabia bombed separatist positions. On December 30, Rubio spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Emirati Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the situation.
Rubio Meets with Netanyahu. On December 29, Rubio met with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss regional security, economic cooperation, anti-Semitism, and the Gaza peace plan.
United States Pledges $2 Billion for UN Humanitarian Aid, Urges Agencies to “Adapt, Shrink, or Die.” On December 29, the Trump administration announced that it would provide an initial $2 billion in 2026 to the United Nations for humanitarian assistance but urged UN agencies to significantly overhaul how aid is delivered. In the past, the United States has provided as much as $17 billion annually for UN humanitarian aid.
The administration said that the agreement requires the UN to “consolidate humanitarian functions to reduce bureaucratic overhead, unnecessary duplication, and ideological creep,” adding that individual UN agencies would need to “adapt, shrink, or die.”
Under the agreement, the United States will channel funding through an umbrella fund administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Seventeen countries will initially be targeted for assistance, including Syria and South Sudan. Yemen, home to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, will not receive this funding.
3) Department of War
AFRICOM Conducts Strikes in Somalia. On December 22, 23, 24, and 25 US forces conducted airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia. On December 29, US forces conducted airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia.
CENTCOM Targets So-Called Islamic State Members in Syria. On December 30, CENTCOM announced that US and partner forces killed or captured nearly 25 so-called Islamic State (IS) members in Syria during operations conducted from December 20 to 29. The operations also led to the elimination of four IS weapons caches.
4) Department of the Treasury
Treasury Targets Iran-Venezuela Weapons Trade. On December 30, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned ten individuals and entities based in Iran and Venezuela for their involvement in Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle and ballistic missile trade.
