US Embassy Exploring Possible Trump Visit to Israel in September,
The US Embassy in Israel is quietly exploring a Trump visit in September, when he'd finally receive the Israel Prize awarded to him in April. One catch: the war with Iran.
The American Embassy in Israel is examining the possibility of a visit by President Donald Trump to Israel in September, Israel Hayom reported Sunday. The US Embassy declined to comment on the report.
According to the report, embassy officials are considering scaling back or postponing the traditional July 4th Independence Day celebrations, which this year would mark the 250th anniversary of American independence, in favor of holding larger, more elaborate festivities to coincide with a potential presidential visit later in the year.
Should the visit take place, Trump is expected to be formally presented with the Israel Prize, the country's highest civilian honor, which was awarded to him in absentia at the annual Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem on April 22.
Education Minister Yoav Kisch announced in December that Trump would receive the prize for his "special contribution to the Jewish people," citing his record on fighting antisemitism, securing the return of hostages from Gaza, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and his consistent support for Israel's right to self-defense. It was the first time in the prize's history that it has been awarded to a non-Israeli.
"We decided to break a convention, or create a new one, to award the Israel Prize, which in almost our 80 years we've never awarded to a non-Israeli."
— Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announcing the prize at Mar-a-Lago, December 2025
Israeli officials, however, injected a note of caution. Senior Israeli sources told Israel Hayom that as long as the war against Iran continues, a Trump visit is not actively on the agenda. The calculus could shift, they said, if a ceasefire agreement or broader understandings are reached that bring a measure of calm to the region, at which point the visit could rapidly move from possibility to plan.
The timing adds another layer of political complexity. Israeli political sources assessed that certain factions are working behind the scenes to prevent the visit from occurring, on the grounds that a high-profile presidential appearance in Israel could influence the country's upcoming election campaign, which would be in full swing by September.
Trump did not attend the April ceremony in person. At the time, the Times of Israel reported that the president was expected to receive the award at a formal in-person ceremony during his next visit to the country. Trump had signaled earlier in the year that he was likely to attend, telling Israel's Channel 14 "yes, sounds like it" when asked whether he planned to come for the Independence Day event, before ultimately not making the trip.