The US president has for months been urging his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog to absolve the prime minister, who is facing corruption charges
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside the White House in Washington, DC. © Alex Wong / Getty Images
US President Donald Trump has called on his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
Indicted in 2019, Netanyahu has pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing. The trial, which began in 2020, has seen numerous delays and is expected to continue for several more years.
Trump reportedly told Axios on Tuesday that Netanyahu, a long-time ally who co-launched the war on Iran with him, has complained that he will have to appear in court instead of focusing on the conflict impacting the global economy. The US president reportedly responded “In the middle of a war? Give me a break!”
According to the publication, Trump went on to say that he likes Israeli President Herzog and that he “will be a national hero if he gives Bibi a pardon.” The US president had previously criticized Herzog as “weak and pathetic” for not granting a pardon.
“Bibi is a wartime prime minister. He can’t have this hanging over his head,” Trump reportedly argued. He also suggested that Netanyahu’s trial makes Israel “look bad.”
Earlier this week, Herzog invited Netanyahu’s lawyers, the attorney general, and the state prosecutor to negotiate a potential settlement, clarifying that he will not consider a plea until that process is exhausted.
Commenting on the possibility of a deal that may require an admission of guilt, Trump said that Netanyahu “can’t take” a settlement and instead requires a full pardon, according to Axios.
Late last year, the outlet reported that the Israeli prime minister had asked the US president for additional support in his push for a pardon.
A month earlier, Trump sent an official letter to Herzog stating that “the ‘case’ against Bibi… is a political, unjustified prosecution.”
“I hereby call on you to fully pardon Benjamin Netanyahu,” the US president wrote at the time.
In June 2025, Trump similarly described the charges against Netanyahu as a “WITCH HUNT.”