White House denies Israel spied on Trump negotiators

The White House has firmly denied allegations that Israel engaged in espionage targeting senior U.S. officials involved in sensitive negotiations. Reports from The New York Times and NBC suggested that Israel had spied on key figures, including President Donald Trump's top negotiator Steve Witkoff and Pentagon Under Secretary Elbridge Colby.

These reports, citing intelligence assessments, described the alleged spying as the most extensive ever conducted by the Middle Eastern ally against the U.S. The intelligence gathering was reportedly focused on individuals close to Trump during critical diplomatic efforts.

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Israel does not collect intelligence on American subjects, especially government officials.

Israel's embassy in Washington vehemently rejected the claims. A spokesperson stated, "Israel does not collect intelligence on American subjects, especially government officials," dismissing the reporting as "completely wrong." This denial comes amid ongoing scrutiny of international intelligence practices, including past revelations about U.S. surveillance activities on foreign leaders.

President Trump himself has previously downplayed accusations of foreign spying, suggesting that intelligence gathering is a common practice among nations. He notably remarked during a visit to China, "That's just one of those things, you know, we spy on them, they spy on us, and frankly, that's what happens."

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That's just one of those things, you know, we spy on them, they spy on us, and frankly, that's what happens.