Trump Says Khamenei Funeral Tears May Be 'Fake,' Meeting Israeli PM the Week After Next

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he has received an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a meeting at the White House, emphasizing that he holds the upper hand in their relationship.
In a phone interview with Axios on the 4th (local time), President Trump said, "We get along very well. (Prime Minister Netanyahu) knows who the boss is."
President Trump explained that the meeting could take place as early as the week after he returns from the NATO summit.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office also confirmed that "Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump have agreed to meet in the United States soon."
The Israeli side indicated that the Prime Minister's visit to the White House could take place the week after next.
This meeting between the two leaders would be their first in about five months, following a Situation Room meeting held before the airstrikes on Iran in February.
At that time, Prime Minister Netanyahu met with President Trump in the White House Situation Room, where he reportedly spent an hour arguing for the necessity of airstrikes against Iran, which is said to have led to the U.S. decision to launch military operations.
Since then, as the war with Iran has lasted longer than expected, internal divisions have emerged within the Republican Party, and the MAGA (Make America Great Again) camp has criticized President Trump, claiming he is being pushed around by Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Reports also surfaced last month that President Trump called Prime Minister Netanyahu and expressed his fury, calling him "crazy" and "ungrateful."
Given this context, his remark that "he knows who the boss is" is interpreted as a signal that President Trump still maintains the upper hand in his relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
President Trump also stated that he was watching the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei held in Iran.
"One shot (could take them all out), but we won't do that," President Trump said, adding, "Because then we wouldn't have anyone to negotiate with."
Noting that he was surprised to see Iranians crying at the funeral, President Trump added that he had thought the Iranian people hated the former Supreme Leader, suggesting that "maybe they are fake tears."
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.