Trump pushes for a pardon as Israeli leader’s scandals reemerge
US President Donald Trump has sent a formal letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog urging him to issue a “full pardon” for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the BBC reported on November 12th. Netanyahu has been on trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust since 2020.
In the letter, Trump stated that while he “absolutely” respects Israel’s independent justice system, he believes Netanyahu is facing “a political, unjustified prosecution.”
He praised Netanyahu, who has been issued an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his war crimes, as a “formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister” who had guided Israel “into a time of peace”.
The Israeli leader has denied any wrongdoing throughout the five-year legal battle. He thanked Trump for his “incredible support” in a post on X, saying he looked forward to continuing their partnership to “bolster security and expand peace.”
Herzog’s office acknowledged receipt of the letter, expressing “deep appreciation for President Trump’s unwavering support for Israel,” but clarified that anyone seeking a presidential pardon must submit a formal request under established procedures.
Netanyahu became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to face criminal prosecution when his trial began in 2020.
Prosecutors allege that he accepted luxury gifts, mainly cigars and champagne, from wealthy businessmen in exchange for political favours, that he attempted to secure positive press coverage in exchange for regulatory benefits, and that he manipulated media influence through telecom deals. Netanyahu has described the charges as “absurd” and a “witch-hunt” orchestrated by political opponents.
Trump’s latest intervention follows remarks he made in October 2025, after helping to mediate a ceasefire in the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. During a speech to the Israeli parliament, he questioned the legitimacy of the corruption charges, saying, “Cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about that?”
In June 2025 Trump called for Netanyahu to be pardoned via a social media post, and even suggested that the trial should be dropped entirely.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, supported Trump’s appeal, arguing that the trial had “become an indictment against the prosecution itself.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the call for a pardon, reminding parliament that Israeli law requires an admission of guilt and remorse before a pardon can be considered.
Lapid warned that bowing to foreign pressure would undermine Israel’s sovereignty, adding that the country must “say no to an American president.”
For Netanyahu’s supporters, a pardon would represent vindication after years of legal and political turmoil. But critics argue it would further erode Israel’s judicial integrity, an issue that already sparked mass protests in 2023 against the government’s controversial plans for judicial reform.
The conflicts that have arisen since October 7th can be seen as a lifeline for Benjamin Netanyahu. The investigations into the alleged corruption have been conveniently sidelined due to the genocidal war on Gaza, alongside the conflicts with Hezbollah and Iran, which have served as a smokescreen for Netanyahu’s continued erosion of what is supposedly the ‘only democracy in the Middle East’.
For now, due to the fragile ceasefires currently in place with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, the public eye in Israel is back on Netanyahu and his domestic scandals.
BBC, ICC, Maghrebi.org
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