Person is not out to iran, to be put on notice, given the that there were concerns. As are you talking, let me interrupt. We are seeing the car pulled up. Melania and donald trump awaiting to greet Sara Netanyahu, on the other side, of course, the Prime Minister. It looks like a state visit. Given the pomp and ceremony to the Prime Minister of israel and his wife usually accorded to a state visit. This is the first time we are seeing Melania Trump in this role. Sara netanyahu doesnt usually travel with the Prime Minister on working visits to and from washington. This is quite a bit of fanfare, the marine guard. The south portico. In the state visit, hundreds of people, diplomatic corp, the marine band and others, now, it is just the four of them standing there with the marine guard. It is a bit of a potamkin village feel to this. Now, the picture of the four of them standing there. Melania trump, Sara Netanyahu. It support to point out, there is a legal investigation, he has been investigated by legal authorities there. Allegations of corruption. There are some clouds shadowing him on this visit. As peter, you were talking, as we watch them walk in to the south entrance, there are different emphasis here. You have the Trump White House wanting to negotiate middle east peace without a separate palestinian state. And the Prime Ministers concerns are all about iran, iran, iran. He wants to discuss the iran deal, and the fact that President Trump may reconsider it. There has been no bigger opponent of that deal than Benjamin Netanyahu. As you say, Melania Trump is here alongside her husband. The fact that even as they arrive, very limited opportunity to visit together before they come out to the news conference. Flipping the deal a bit. Normally, they have those conversations as President Trump did last week. Today, a lot of the news that will be made it will made in real time. Which is to say, it is not clear how much of these conversations happened behind the scenes in preparation for their public remarks here today. A question replay, now, they are going inside, they are downstairs at the white house. They have to go through to the formal rooms upstairs to the east room news conference, that will precede the formal talks. With us now, is stephen hadley, former National Security advisor. There is so much going on. No National Security advisor, general kellogg, interim at best. And the secretary of state left the at nato, defense secretary said i have to warn you that it political situation at home is, that if you dont increase your share of contributions to nato, we will have to alter our involvement. That is not so setul warning. They want the contribution to nato. This is sort of an ultimatum, is it not . The secretary of state, president says for two decades have been telling them they need to do more. It hasnt seemed to work. What President Trump is saying, maybe we need to put more bite in this. If you do more, we will do more. If you dont do more, maybe we will do less. I think this is part of the negotiation. This is afterall, a deal maker, he is trying to turn up the pressure on the nato allies, one to do more, and relook at nato, to make sure it adapted to the threats we face. We see ron durmer, effective on Benjamin Netanyahus part, ambassador from israel. He helped to negotiate the Benjamin Netanyahu speech to the joint meeting of congress, that offended the obama white house, that the invitation happened, that would normally go through the white house. Meeting Benjamin Netanyahu without a National Security advisor, not discussing having a twostate, and having his son in law as the negotiate. Because of the flynn resig nag, they have, as you would expect with an insurgent administration without outsiders coming in, they have been slow to get their cabinet officials confirmed, slow to they are under staffed at this point. The world keeps turning, affairs need to go on. They are making due. I think there has been a lot of conversations in preparation for this summit. The fact that they are having the press conference is an indication that they are comfortable at this point, they know what the basic framework for it relationship is going to be. Inserge insergent, he is doing business differently. The new secretary of state was told he could choose his deliberate. Chose elliott abrams, an experienced Foreign Policy expert, critical, not a signer of the notrump never trump Foreign Policy. He did write a column last may. After being told he was being hired, he was vetoed by the president. A slap in the face to the new secretary of state that now does not have a deputy. The cabinet secretaries have been told, unless there is a real problem, you will get them. Obviously, President Trump thought there was a problem with the statement that is he made. Which is unfortunate. I think elliott would have served the new president loyally and l it is unfortunate. A candidate for replacement for the National Security advisor, general flynn, any circumstance that you would take the job . A lot of people say will perfect person would be steve hadly. Not for President Trump. He ran against the establishment and two decades of Foreign Policy. If you look at his cabinet appointments, it is people who have not been part of the establishment for the last two decades. He is not looking for someone like me. A weapon fired by iran, a weapon test by north korea, a failed yemen raid. The russians now, violating a 1987 Ronald Reagan gorbachev agreement. The process, the National Security i am sure there has been informal meetings and consultations, they are only three weeks in, they dont have most of their people in place. In 2001, i was deputy National Security advisor, i convined a couple of meetings, there was no point, i didnt have any confirmed deputies to invite to the meeting until april or may of that first year. It takes time to get an administration staffed. Particularly, if it is a kind of insurgent Administration Like this one. Three weeks into the term. The president , not to tell the Vice President that the National Security advisor had mislead him . That is an issue, their internal processes within the administration they will be talking about. And national correspondent, Peter Alexander is in the east room. They are almost home alone. Talk about jared and his unique role here. Donald trump himself said, on the first day of his presidency, in one of the inaugural balls, he said, if anyone can find peace in the middle east, create peace in the middle east, it is my son in law. That is something they will be discussing. David freeman, the ambassador to israel, have had strong positions in support of the development, further development of settlements, President Trump changed the tables, saying he no longer supported the view of expansion, he thought they could be an obstacle for advancement. As you noted, nobody yet from the american delegation, as they have a small window to meet behind closed doors privately, before they mark their remarks publicly to the world. The noticeable absence of mike flynn today. One reason it is significant. Flynn was one of the biggest advocates, one of the voices closest to President Trump in support of a hardline position toward iran. One of Benjamin Netanyahus biggest assets in this administration. He is now gone. Which creates a bit of a void, given the relevance of iran, between the two countries. Peter, as you know, it was National Security former National Security advisor flynn who came in to the room and said we are putting iran on notice. Without explaining what it meant. Were they threatening . All options on the table, sanctions, and a question as to how tough the sankszs were. They are sticking with the iran nuclear deal, article one on the checklist of what Benjamin Netanyahu does not want. Already, you have seen President Trump disagreeing with candidate trump, where donald trump said he would get rid of the iran nuclear deal, the worst deal negotiated. He said he would move the embassy, all american candidates promised to do, no american president has been willing to do, because of the threat of violence, what it would mean in the arab world. The acting National Security advisor entered the room. And the deputy National Security advisor. There was question as to whether or not she would stay on after the departure of michael flynn. As evidenced by her seated, we are confident she will be. And the cia director, and sources say that it were brought in in the last two weeks to be engaged in the president ial dale i briefy, so mike flynns voice wasnt the only one on the voice of National Security, speaking to the president. As i understand, he was able to do that when he was in town, and Keith Kellogg was able to join in the process as well. Sglm the cia director was in the west bank meeting with the palestinians last night, to brief them on this. It was, as we understand it, the first time they were told that administration is abandoning the two state solution. You can see Melania Trump and Sara Netanyahu entering. I want to reduce Chris Matthews, with me here, the host of hardball. And david cone, former director of the cia, analyst as well. Jared obviously, you see ivanka trump, a kiss from jared to Sara Netanyahu. This is an unusual moment. Some described it as home alone, aside from friends and family. What you expect to have in the National Security apparatus in the white house, essentially not there. The National Security advisor not in the job. Steve bannon has important alliances, and connections with nationalist right wing groups that perliveerating across europe. It appears that the force in Foreign Policy, in the white house is steve bannon and Jared Kushner. Nationalist groups in europe, Jared Kushner has come up in the real estate business in new york. Not someone with a great deal of experience. And you have this meeting with the Prime Minister of israel without the secretary of state or secretary of defense present. Here we have the announcement. They are coming in. This is a moment this. Is giving Benjamin Netanyahu the kind of platform he has not had under the barack obama. Not exactly the equal treatment. Thank you. The today, i have is the honor of welcoming my friend, Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu to the white house. The unbreakable bond with our cherished ally, israel. The partnership between our two countries, built on our shared valus has advanced the cause of human freedom, dignity and peace. These are the Building Blocks of democracy. The state of israel is a symbol to the world of resilience. I can think of no other state that has gone through what they have, and genocide. We will never forget what jewish people have endured. Your pers verence, democracy in the face of violence, and defense in the face of tall arts is truly inspirational. The security challenges faced by israel are enormous. Including the threat of Irans Nuclear ambitions which i have talked a lot about. One of the worst deals i have ever seen is the iran deal. My administration has already imposed new sanctions on iran. I will do more to prevent iran from ever, i mean ever, a nuclear weapon. The Security Assistance to israel is currently at an alltime high, ensuring that israel has the ability to defend itself from threats, of which there are, unfortunately, many. Both countries will continue and grow. We have a long history of cooperation against terrorism. America and israel are two countries that value all human life. This is one more reason why i reject unfair onesided actions against israel at the united nations, who has treated israel in my opinion, very, very unfairly. Or other international forums, as well as boycotts that target israel. Our administration is committed to working with israel, and our common allies, in the region toward greater security and stability. That includes working toward a Peace Agreement between israel and the palestinians. The United States will encourage a peace and really a great peace deal. We will be working on it very diligently. Very important to me, also. Something we want to do. It is the parties themselves who must directly negotiate such an agreement. We will be beside them, working with them it as with any successful negotiation both sides will have to make compromises. You know that right . I want the israel people to know that the United States stands with israel in the struggle against terrorism. As you know, mr. Prime minister, our two nations will always condemn terrorist acts. Peace requires nations to uphold the dignity of human life, and to be a voice for all of those who are endangered and forgotten. Those are the ideals to which we all and will always aspire and commit. This will be the first of many productive meetings and again, mr. Prime minister, thank you very much for being with us today. Mr. Prime minister, thank you. President trump, thank you for the truly warm hospitality you and melania has shown me, my wife, sara, to me, to the state of israel, so clearly evident in the words you spoke. Israel has no better ally than the United States. And i want to assure you that the United States has no better ally than israel. Our alliance has been remarkably strong. Under your leadership, i am confident that it will get even stronger. I look forward to working with you to dramatically upgrade our alliance in every field. Security, and technology, and cyber and trade. I certainly welcome your forthright call to ensure that israel is treated fairly in international forums, and the slander and boycotts of israel are resisted mightily by the power and moral position by the United States of america. As you said, our alliance is based on a deep bond of common valus and common interests. Increasingly, those valus and interests are under attack by one force, radical islamic terror. Mr. President , you have shown great clarity and courage in confronting this challenge head on. You call for confronting irans terrorist regime. Preventing iran from realizing this terrible deal into a nuclear arsenal. And you said that the United States is committed to keeping iran from Getting Nuclear Weapons you call for a defeat of isis. Under your leadership, i believe we can stem the tide. Israel stands with you, and i stand with you. Mr. President , in will aring back militant islam, we can seize a historic opportunity. For the first time in my lifetime, and for the first time in the life of my country, arab countries in the region do not see israel as an enemy, but increasingly as an ally. I believe under your leadership, this change in our region creates an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen security and advance peace. Let us seize this moment together. Let us bolster security. Let us seek new avenues of peace, and bring the remarkable alliance between israel and the United States to even greater heights. Thank you, thank you mr. President. Again, thank you. We will take a couple of questions. David. Christian broadcasting. David. Thank, both of you have criticized the iran nuclear deal, at times called for repeal. I am wondering if you are concerned at all, as it relates to not just the National Security advisor, michael flynn, recently no longer here, some of those events going on with communication with russia, if that will hamper this deal and whether or not it will hamper iran from becoming a Nuclear State . Are you on the same page . How do you term that as it relates to a settlement issue. General flynn is a wonderful man. I think he has been treated very unfairly by the media. As i call trk the fake media in many cases. I think it is a bad thing he was treated so badly. In addition to that, from intelligence, papers are being leaked, things are leaked. It is criminal act. It has been going on for a long time. Before me. Now, it is really going on. People are trying to cover up for a terrible loss tha