'Unjustified Prosecution': Trump Asks Israeli President To Pardon Netanyahu In Corruption Cases

Last Updated:November 12, 2025, 18:24 IST

Isaac Herzog received a letter from Trump urging a pardon for Netanyahu, who faces three corruption trials that he and supporters claim are politically motivated

US President Donald Trump with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. (Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently on trial in three separate corruption cases.

In a letter to Herzog, Trump wrote that he was contacting him at a “historic time, as we have, together, just secured peace that has been sought for at least 3,000 years." He called on the Israeli president to “fully pardon Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister."

“While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli Justice System… I believe that this ‘case’ against Bibi… is political, unjustified prosecution," Trump noted in his letter.

Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the ongoing trials, which have yet to reach a verdict. His supporters have dismissed the cases as politically motivated.

The Israeli Prime Minister and his wife Sara are accused in one case of accepting luxury gifts worth more than $260,000, including cigars, jewellery, and champagne, from billionaires in exchange for political favours. In two other cases, he is alleged to have sought favourable coverage from Israeli media outlets.

Herzog’s office confirmed receipt of Trump’s letter, saying the Israeli president holds Trump “in the highest regard and continues to express his deep appreciations for President Trump’s unwavering support for Israel."

However, the statement also emphasised that “anyone seeking a Presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with the established procedures."

Netanyahu, during his current term which began in late 2022, proposed sweeping judicial reforms that critics argued were intended to weaken Israel’s courts. These reforms led to mass protests, which were largely paused following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.

Trump himself has long claimed that legal proceedings have been used by his political opponents to target him, a position that mirrors his support for Netanyahu amid the high-profile corruption trials.

(With inputs from AFP)

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