'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Martina Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam champion, has blasted US President Donald Trump for hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. Netanyahu's visit to the US comes amid Israel's ongoing offensive in Palestine's Gaza Strip, carried out in retaliation against Palestinian militant outfit Hamas's massacre in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
The tennis champion, who is outspoken on social media regarding her political opinions, took to Elon Musk-owned X to express her opposition to Netanyahu's visit. She reacted to a video that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino shared showing Trump departing his West Wing office to welcome the Israeli Prime Minister.
"Sickening and infuriating," Martina Navratilova commented.
Trending
Navratilova has been extremely critical of Israel's military strikes in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, which have resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians. Last month, Palestine's health authorities said Israel's campaign in Gaza killed more than 46,000 people, with around half of those being women, children, or older people.
Last year, Navratilova slammed Israel's offensive in Gaza, and termed it a "genocide." She has also condemned the death of civilians amid Israel's crusade against Hamas militants. She wrote in a sarcastic tweet:
"Let’s kill thousands of people and hope we get a couple of bad guys."
Navratilova has also been critical of Netanyahu amid the ongoing strikes. She condemned the Israeli leader over the arrest of Palestinian artist Eid Suleiman al-Hathalin last year, writing:
"This is just awful. Clearly whether one is a peaceful Palestinian or a Hamas Palestinian makes no difference to Netanyahu."
Notably, Benjamin Netanyahu is the first foreign leader invited to the White House since Donald Trump's second term began on January 20, 2025. The Israeli leader is seeking backing from Trump to continue the campaign in Gaza as international scrutiny grows over the country's actions in the Palestinian strip.
Martina Navratilova is extremely critical of US President Donald Trump
Tennis champion Martina Navratilova is a staunch supporter of the Democrat party and frequently criticized Republican President Donald Trump and his policies.
Ahead of the last US presidential elections last year, Navratilova endorsed Trump's rival Kamala Harris. After Trump was declared the winner of the hotly-contested poll, Navratilova took to X and wrote:
"Well, Trump won. Fear and anger won. And a country that was born as a racist patriarchy proved beyond any reasonable doubt it still is a racist patriarchy."
Navratilova, widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players, has also questioned the legitimacy of Trump's win over Harris.
