U.S. President Donald Trump is diving headfirst into Israeli politics with a bold request to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Fox News reported that Trump's push, first voiced in a speech to Israeli lawmakers in October 2025 and followed by a formal letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday, seeks clemency for Netanyahu, who’s entangled in three separate corruption trials.
Let’s rewind to October 2025, when Trump stood before the Israeli parliament and made his initial plea for Herzog to grant Netanyahu a pardon.
He framed it as a reward for Netanyahu’s role in securing a shaky ceasefire in Gaza, a conflict that’s raged since October 2023. It’s a classic Trump move—big, brash, and tied to a “win” he’s proud of.
“I hereby call on you to fully pardon Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister,” Trump wrote in his letter to Herzog. Call it like it is, indeed—but is this a diplomatic masterstroke or just overreach into another nation’s judicial backyard?
Netanyahu, often known by his nickname “Bibi,” faces serious accusations across these cases. In one, he and his wife Sara are alleged to have accepted over $260,000 in luxury items—think cigars, champagne, and jewelry—from wealthy benefactors in exchange for political favors. That’s not pocket change, and it raises eyebrows about influence peddling.
In the other two cases, Bibi is accused of trying to barter for better press coverage from Israeli media outlets. He’s denied all wrongdoing, and his supporters cry foul, claiming the trials are nothing but a political witch hunt. Sounds familiar if you’ve followed Trump’s own legal battles, doesn’t it?
Adding fuel to the fire, Netanyahu’s tenure since late 2022 has been marked by contentious judicial reforms. Critics argue these changes were designed to kneecap the courts, sparking massive protests across Israel until the Gaza war shifted public focus. It’s a messy backdrop for a pardon request, to say the least.
Trump’s letter wasn’t just a quiet note—it came with public fanfare, echoing his October speech. He’s tying the pardon to what he calls historic peace efforts, claiming it’s time to “unite Israel” by ending what he sees as legal harassment of Bibi.
“Now that we have achieved these unprecedented successes, and are keeping Hamas in check, it is time to let Bibi unite Israel by pardoning him, and ending that lawfare once and for all,” Trump declared.
Admire the confidence, but isn’t “lawfare” a term that sidesteps whether the charges have merit? A bit of projection, perhaps, given Trump’s own grievances with the U.S. justice system.
Herzog’s office, however, isn’t rolling out the red carpet for Trump’s request. They’ve made it crystal clear that a pardon can’t be initiated just because a foreign leader asks for it—there’s a formal process, and it must be followed. It’s a polite but firm reminder that Israel’s system isn’t swayed by international star power.
This procedural roadblock isn’t surprising when you consider the gravity of the charges against Netanyahu. From luxury gifts to media manipulation allegations, these aren’t petty gripes—they strike at the heart of public trust in leadership. Herzog’s hands appear tied, at least for now.
Trump’s involvement also mirrors his domestic playbook, where he’s often decried legal actions against himself as politically motivated. His recent push to investigate figures like former FBI Director James Comey and others through a revamped Justice Department shows he’s no stranger to challenging judicial norms. It’s a parallel that makes his Netanyahu plea feel less like altruism and more like principle.
Netanyahu, for his part, seems to appreciate the gesture, responding with warmth to Trump’s blunt style. It’s no secret they’ve shared a close alliance, especially on issues like Gaza, where Trump credits their joint efforts for a fragile peace. But does a pardon really “unite” Israel, or does it risk further polarizing a nation already divided by Bibi’s reforms and trials?
