Asked to clarify his position at a news conference Wednesday evening, he said he would still be happy with any plan the Israelis and Palestinians agreed on, whether one state or two.

“The bottom line, if the Israelis and the Palestinians want a one-state, that’s O.K. with me,” he said. “If they want two states, that’s O.K. with me.”

But, he added, “I think it’s going to be a two-state.”

His preference for two states, long the goal of Middle East peace negotiators, seemed to open some daylight between his administration and that of Mr. Netanyahu, a close ally who has for years avoided referring to a two-state solution in public.

But Mr. Netanyahu said he was not surprised by Mr. Trump’s remarks.

“Everyone defines the term ‘state’ differently,” Mr. Netanyahu told Israeli reporters after the meeting. He said that as long as he was prime minister, Israel would not relinquish security control of the occupied territories. He has spoken of granting the Palestinians, at most, what he calls a “state-minus,” with limited authorities.

Naftali Bennett, the leader of the hawkish, pro-settlement Jewish Home party and a partner in Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition, described Mr. Trump as “a true friend of Israel.” But, he added, “It must be emphasized that as long as the Jewish Home Party is part of Israel’s government, there will not be a Palestinian state, which would be a disaster for Israel.”