President Donald J. Trump has called on Israel to drop the long-running corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing the proceedings as a “witch-hunt” and urging the country to either cancel the case or issue a presidential pardon.
Writing on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump praised Netanyahu as a “great hero” and said the Israeli leader deserved gratitude, not prosecution.
“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),” Trump wrote. “Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me.”
The trial, which began in 2020, centres on three separate cases involving charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty.
Trump’s post came just days after cross-examination of Netanyahu resumed in a Tel Aviv court. According to Israeli media, the hearings are expected to stretch over the next year, further clouding the political future of the 75-year-old leader.
In an apparent show of personal loyalty, Trump added: “It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu.”
It remains unclear what if anything the United States could do to halt a domestic Israeli legal process. The case is under the full authority of Israel’s judiciary, with any pardon powers resting solely with President Isaac Herzog.
So far, President Herzog has offered no indication that a pardon is on the table. Quoted in local reports, Herzog said no formal request for clemency has been made and added, “This is not currently a matter being considered.”
Netanyahu, who has remained in office through multiple election cycles, has frequently claimed the trial is politically motivated. His legal team argues that prosecutors have overstepped, while supporters see the case as part of a broader attempt to undermine a right-wing government.
Trump’s remarks come just 24 hours after he publicly criticised Israel over its military conduct in Iran. Following a ceasefire agreement, Israel reportedly launched what Trump described as “the biggest load [of bombs] we’ve seen.”
“I’m not happy with Israel,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “They’ve been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing.”
The former president’s statements have stirred fresh debate in Washington and Jerusalem alike. Some see Trump’s intervention as a political gift to Netanyahu, who remains under pressure both in court and at home. Others worry that blurring the lines between diplomacy and personal allegiance could inflame an already volatile region.
As for Netanyahu’s trial, it moves ahead for now under the glare of the courtroom rather than the campaign trail.
