US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Israeli authorities to cancel the ongoing corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or grant him a presidential pardon, describing the legal proceedings as a “witch-hunt”.
Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump lavished praise on Netanyahu, referring to him as a “Great Hero” and “warrior”, while sharply criticising the Israeli justice system for pursuing what he claimed was a politically motivated case.
“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, using the Israeli premier’s nickname. “Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me.”
Netanyahu, who was indicted in 2019, is facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases. He has denied all charges and pleaded not guilty.
His trial began in 2020 and is currently in the stage of cross-examination, which began earlier this month and is expected to last approximately one year, according to Israeli media.
While Trump’s statement reflects the enduring closeness between the two leaders, it is unlikely to have any legal impact on the Israeli judicial process. Under Israeli law, only President Isaac Herzog has the authority to issue a pardon. However, Herzog was quoted by local media as saying that such a move is “not currently on the table”.
Trump, who has previously positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Israel, 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.”
The US president’s comments come amid a complicated moment in US-Israel relations. Just a day prior, Trump issued a rare public rebuke of the Israeli government, expressing dissatisfaction with its military actions following a recently brokered ceasefire with Iran.
“Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. The biggest load that we’ve seen. I’m not happy with Israel,” Trump told reporters, referring to Israeli airstrikes that reportedly followed the ceasefire.
He went on to criticise both Iran and Israel, saying, “They’ve been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing.”
Observers note that Trump’s latest comments reflect both his personal loyalty to Netanyahu and his ongoing willingness to wade into foreign legal matters. However, his capacity to influence the Israeli judiciary—especially as a private citizen no longer in office—remains extremely limited.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s legal battles have long loomed over his political career. Despite the indictments, Netanyahu has remained in power and continues to lead Israel’s government, bolstered by his right-wing coalition.
Legal analysts in Israel suggest that while presidential pardons are possible, they are rare in politically charged cases and typically come after legal proceedings have run their course.
