Washington: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's eyes twinkled, even if he seemed less typically histrionic, as he arrived at the White House for a hastily-arranged meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, their second in just over two months.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Netanyahu's visit marked a shift in the dynamics between the two leaders. Unlike their previous meeting in February, where Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to meet the newly sworn-in president, this encounter was marked by tension. The Israeli prime minister, who had been making efforts to curry favor with Trump, found himself belittled and patronized by the U.S. president.

Netanyahu's troubles began even before his arrival in the United States, as his aircraft reportedly had to take a longer route to avoid countries that could enforce an arrest warrant against him issued by the International Criminal Court for possible crimes against humanity in the war on Gaza. At the White House, the situation deteriorated further when Netanyahu was informed of the U.S.'s intention to hold talks with Iran, a move contrary to Israel's preferences.

A joint press conference was abruptly canceled, and during a subsequent Q and A session, Netanyahu remained unusually silent as Trump revealed plans for direct talks with Iran. Trump's statement seemed to disregard Israel's preferred approach of military strikes against Iranian sites. Despite Netanyahu's earlier encouragement for Trump to escalate with Iran, the U.S. president appeared to have shifted his stance.

Trump also refused to commit to removing newly imposed tariffs on Israel, despite Netanyahu's efforts to eliminate Israel's tariffs on U.S. imports and reduce the trade deficit. Trump justified his decision by highlighting the $4 billion annual aid the U.S. provides to Israel.

During Netanyahu's February visit, he had praised Trump as 'the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,' as Trump seemed poised to escalate tensions with Iran. However, the relationship between the two leaders appeared to have cooled considerably by this latest meeting. Netanyahu's previous adulation was reduced to calling Trump merely 'a remarkable friend' of Israel.