Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to Visit U.S. in First Official Foreign Trip Since Joining Government

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In what could mark a significant turning point in U.S.-Israel relations, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is slated to travel to the United States next week for what his office has described as a “political-diplomatic visit.” As reported by the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) on Thursday, the trip — which coincides with the Passover holiday — is Ben-Gvir’s first official foreign trip since joining the Israeli government in December 2022.

A spokesperson for the National Security Ministry confirmed the visit to JNS on Thursday, though details regarding the precise itinerary, meeting locations, or scheduled participants remain scarce. The trip is expected to last a week, and while the Israeli side has been tight-lipped, reports from Israeli daily Maariv suggest that Ben-Gvir has received a “special invitation from his American counterparts.”

According to the JNS report, Ben-Gvir’s upcoming meetings in the United States are expected to include conversations with members of Congress and prominent U.S. Jewish leaders. If confirmed, these interactions would underscore a dramatic shift in Washington’s posture toward Ben-Gvir — a man whose political career has long sparked sharp criticism in U.S. political circles due to his hardline nationalist positions.

For months, the Biden administration reportedly kept Ben-Gvir at arm’s length, with open speculation that sanctions could be levied against him due to his rhetoric and policies concerning Israel’s internal security, law enforcement, and the Palestinian population. As the JNS report pointed out, an official invitation and high-level engagement with U.S. policymakers — if substantiated — would represent a “180-degree shift” in Washington’s approach.

Inquiries made by JNS to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Thursday remained unanswered as of press time, leaving questions about the nature of any federal-level meetings unresolved.

Ben-Gvir, who leads the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) Party, is a longtime advocate for Jewish sovereignty over all parts of the Land of Israel, including areas such as the Judea and Samaria region and Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Nonetheless, his role within the Israeli coalition government is significant. Otzma Yehudit ran in a joint slate with Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism Party in the November 2022 Israeli elections, helping secure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s return to power.

Ben-Gvir’s planned visit follows in the wake of a recent trip by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who, in a surprising development, was received by officials at the U.S. Treasury Department. As reported by JNS, Smotrich acknowledged the significance of that engagement, stating before his March 5 meeting: “After four years during which, under the Biden administration, there was no ministerial-level meeting between the U.S. Treasury Department and the Israeli government, ​​we are now entering the Treasury Department.”

That milestone may have helped lay the groundwork for Ben-Gvir’s invitation, signaling a possible recalibration of U.S. diplomatic strategy toward members of Israel’s right-wing leadership.

The Passover holiday, rich in themes of freedom and redemption, adds a layer of symbolism to Ben-Gvir’s diplomatic debut abroad. It also presents a unique opportunity for the minister to engage directly with American Jewish communities, many of whom have expressed concern or opposition to his policies within Israel, especially regarding policing, civil rights, and religious pluralism, the JNS report said.

Engaging with U.S. Jewish leadership could prove pivotal for Ben-Gvir, who is likely seeking to reframe his international image amid ongoing scrutiny from abroad. It may also serve as a testing ground for domestic and diaspora perceptions of his legitimacy as a national figure — not merely a political firebrand.

Moreover, if the meetings with U.S. officials do materialize, the trip could reflect an evolving realpolitik approach by Washington — one in which pragmatic engagement outweighs ideological distance, particularly in light of growing regional threats, Iran’s resurgence, and internal instability in the Palestinian territories.

Despite the growing speculation and diplomatic buzz, JNS reported that no official statement has yet been issued by the U.S. government confirming any formal invitation or the substance of potential talks. The State Department and Homeland Security have both declined to offer public comment on the matter.

Nonetheless, the shift is unmistakable. That a figure as controversial as Ben-Gvir may soon be walking the halls of Congress and meeting Jewish leaders on American soil reflects a complex recalibration underway in the U.S.-Israel relationship. It suggests that lines of dialogue — long dormant or outright avoided — may be opening, even if cautiously.

Whether this visit proves to be a one-off diplomatic gesture or the beginning of sustained engagement between Washington and Israel’s most right-leaning ministers remains to be seen. But as JNS reported, Ben-Gvir’s trip will not go unnoticed — by supporters, critics, or policymakers — on either side of the Atlantic.