U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed his call for Israel’s president to grant a pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over ongoing corruption charges, arguing that the Israeli leader should not be distracted from the country’s war with Iran.
Speaking in an interview with Israeli broadcaster N12, Trump urged Isaac Herzog to grant the pardon immediately. Referring to Netanyahu by his nickname “Bibi,” Trump said the prime minister should have nothing on his mind other than the ongoing military conflict with Iran.
“I don’t want there to be anything troubling Bibi other than the war with Iran,” Trump said during the interview, according to Reuters. He also criticized Herzog, claiming the Israeli president had previously promised him multiple times that a pardon would be issued.
Herzog’s office quickly responded, stating that the president was not currently addressing the matter while Israel remains at war. The statement emphasized that Israel operates as a sovereign state governed by the rule of law.
In its response, Herzog’s office acknowledged Trump’s support for Israel’s security and his stance regarding Iran but reiterated that decisions about a potential pardon would be made independently. The statement added that the president would examine any request according to the law, the interests of the state and his own judgment, free from internal or external pressure.
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is the first sitting leader in the country’s history to face criminal charges. He was indicted in 2019 on allegations of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, accusations he has consistently denied.
According to Reuters, Trump has repeatedly urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu in the past. The Israeli leader formally submitted a request for a presidential pardon in November, though Herzog has previously rejected Trump’s claim that he promised such action.
The renewed political pressure comes as Israel and the United States are engaged in a joint military campaign against Iran. The two allies launched coordinated airstrikes on Iranian targets last weekend, marking a major escalation in the long-running regional confrontation.
Under Israeli law, the president has the authority to grant pardons to convicted individuals. However, there is no precedent for issuing a pardon during an ongoing trial, and the legal process involved in granting clemency can take considerable time.
With Netanyahu’s trial continuing and the conflict with Iran intensifying, the issue of a potential presidential pardon is likely to remain a sensitive legal and political matter in Israel’s domestic and international landscape.
