Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States is initiating talks with Israel to form a new trade agreement, reinforcing what he described as a strong and loyal partnership between the two nations.
“We’re working on a new trade deal with Israel,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House. “We help Israel a lot — we’re giving them billions of dollars every year, and we’re happy to do it. We help our partners. We’re no longer helping our enemies.”
The announcement comes ahead of a planned meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, where the two leaders are expected to discuss trade, regional security, and Iran’s growing influence in the Middle East.
Although Trump did not elaborate on the contents of the potential deal, administration sources say it could include expanded energy cooperation, technology transfers, and reduced tariffs on Israeli exports. The president hinted that U.S. support for allies would increasingly be tied to reciprocal economic cooperation.
This marks another step in Trump’s “America First” strategy, emphasizing direct bilateral agreements and prioritizing U.S. strategic allies. Israel is among the largest recipients of American foreign aid, much of it allocated to defense and security.
Israeli officials have not yet publicly commented on the trade initiative, but insiders say Jerusalem welcomes the opportunity to strengthen economic ties amid global uncertainty and rising regional tensions.
The proposed trade deal, if finalized, would represent a significant upgrade in the U.S.-Israel relationship and could serve as a model for future agreements with other American allies.
