Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Accused of Treason After Visiting Trump at the White House to Discuss Gaza Ceasefire Deals

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly visited Donald Trump at the White House to discuss their joint plans amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war. The meeting, which was not intended to be a secret, has led some critics of Netanyahu to accuse him of treason.

Reports indicate the discussions covered a proposed Gaza ceasefire, hostage releases and US tariffs. No evidence suggests the meeting involved betrayal of Israel or aid to its enemies.

Did Benjamin Netanyahu Commit Treason by Visiting Trump?

On X, user stellarman22 uploaded a report on the meeting of the two leaders and accused the Israeli Prime Minister of being a traitor. However, for the discussions to be considered treason, Netanyahu must have deliberately betrayed Israel by attempting to overthrow their own government or by waging war against them. There is also no indication that Netanyahu aided Israel's enemies since they have direct ties to the US.

Still, the post resulted in a flurry of questions regarding Netanyahu's loyalty and integrity. One X user also accused one of Israel's leaders of possibly bugging the Oval Office.

'Trump gave him a key to the White House. Are you really that surprised?' one person wrote.

'I mean, did he plant something? How long has the Israeli government been listening to everything in the situation room? Has this happened before?' another person wrote.

'And they have the gall to claim they didn't drag the U.S. into this horrific 'little excursion,'' another person wrote.

What Netanyahu, Trump Talked About During Their Meeting

During Monday's visit, Netanyahu and Trump also had brief discussions about Iran, and a proposal for the US to take a controlling role in Gaza was also mentioned. The two leaders also discussed plans for the possible relocation of Palestinians from Gaza. Netanyahu's attempts to request for tariff relief were reportedly rebuffed by Trump.

As of writing, Netanyahu is the first international leader to have personally visited Trump following the latter's announcement on new global tariffs. In the coming weeks, other key personalities are expected to visit the Oval Office for in-person discussions.

Earlier this month, the White House announced that Trump signed a Proclamation to strengthen tariffs imposed on certain products like imported steel, aluminium, and copper to effectively address the national-security threat posed by such imports. The Proclamation also defines the way that tariffs are assessed, ensuring that they reflect the full value of all three products.

Section 232 Metal Tariffs

New rules for calculating Section 232 metal tariffs have also been announced. This includes a 50 per cent flat tariff on the full value of articles made entirely or almost entirely of aluminium, steel, or copper. Some examples include steel coins and aluminum sheet. Derivative articles substantially made of the three materials will pay a flat 25 per cent on their full value.

Certain metal-intensive industrial equipment and electrical grid equipment will pay 15 per cent through 2027. Products made abroad but that make use of entirely American steel, aluminium, and copper will be subject to lower tariffs of 10 per cent. Products made of 15 per cent or less steel, aluminium, or copper will no longer be subject to Section 232 metal tariffs.