Israeli President Isaac Herzog has revealed that he received a formal letter from former U.S. President Donald Trump urging him to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently facing three separate corruption trials.
In a statement on Wednesday, Herzog’s office confirmed that Trump’s letter appealed for “a full pardon” for Netanyahu, describing the embattled leader as “a formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister.”
Trump wrote that he was reaching out at “a historic time, as we have, together, just secured peace that has been sought for at least 3,000 years,” and criticized the legal proceedings against Netanyahu as “political” and “unjustified.”
“While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli Justice System… I believe that this ‘case’ against Bibi… is political, unjustified prosecution,” Trump stated.
Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting over $260,000 in luxury gifts — including cigars, jewelry, and champagne — from wealthy businessmen in exchange for political favors. He is also alleged to have sought favorable media coverage from two major Israeli outlets in separate cases. Netanyahu has consistently denied all allegations, insisting that the charges are politically motivated.
Responding to the letter, Herzog’s office expressed deep appreciation for Trump’s “unwavering support for Israel” but emphasized that any request for a presidential pardon must follow established legal procedures.
During his current term, which began in late 2022, Netanyahu has faced widespread backlash over controversial judicial reforms that critics said were designed to weaken Israel’s courts — protests that only subsided with the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.
Trump, who has often accused U.S. authorities of politically motivated prosecutions against him, appears to see parallels between his legal challenges and Netanyahu’s ongoing trials.
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