President Donald Trump has thrown a bold lifeline to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pressing for a pardon that could reshape the political landscape in the Middle East.
Trump penned a formal letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, urging a pardon for Netanyahu amid ongoing corruption charges, as detailed by Axios. He argued that Netanyahu’s focus should not be split by legal battles during critical times for Israel.
With a nod to their long alliance against shared threats like Iran, Trump insisted that the prosecution is politically driven and unjust. “It is time to let Bibi unite Israel by pardoning him,” Trump wrote, cutting straight to a solution many Israelis might see as bypassing their own judicial norms.
Israeli law, however, does not bend easily to external pleas, even from a figure like Trump. Pardons typically require a direct request from the defendant or family, alongside an admission of guilt, neither of which Netanyahu has offered.
The Israeli President’s office was quick to respond, affirming respect for Trump while underscoring the need to follow established procedures. “Anyone seeking a pardon must submit a request in accordance with the established procedures,” Herzog’s office stated, politely but firmly drawing a line.
Netanyahu, for his part, embraced Trump’s gesture with open arms on social media. “Thank you, President Trump, for your incredible support,” he posted on X, signaling eagerness to sidestep a trial that’s dragged on for four years.
Netanyahu faces serious accusations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust across three cases, including accepting over $200,000 in gifts from wealthy businessmen. He’s also alleged to have traded regulatory favors worth millions for positive media coverage, a charge that taints his public image.
The trial’s length, stretched by repeated delays critics attribute to Netanyahu’s tactics, has frustrated many who value judicial accountability. Even a former head of Israel’s domestic security agency has accused him of abusing executive power to stall the process.
Trump, undeterred, has downplayed the charges publicly, scoffing at their substance during a speech to the Israeli Knesset. “Cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about this?” he quipped, framing the allegations as trivial compared to Netanyahu’s broader role.
Behind Trump’s advocacy lies a sense of shared grievance, with advisers noting he sees parallels between his own legal battles and Netanyahu’s plight. “He thinks it is a similar injustice and he is going to continue weighing in on this,” one adviser told Axios, revealing a deeply personal stake in the outcome.
This isn’t a fleeting comment but a calculated move, following Trump’s earlier hints on “60 Minutes” about getting involved to “help him out a little bit.” Senior Israeli officials, aware of the procedural gap between U.S. and Israeli pardon systems, had already cautioned Trump’s team on the formalities required.
Ultimately, Trump chose to formalize his request in writing, though a senior White House official clarified this wasn’t tied to any diplomatic trade-off over Gaza or regional matters. The push stands as a standalone act of solidarity, unlinked to broader deals.
The request raises sharp questions about the balance between international alliances and domestic rule of law in Israel. While Trump’s intent may be to free Netanyahu for bigger geopolitical plays like expanding the Abraham Accords, it risks appearing as meddling in a sovereign system.
For Israelis, the saga underscores a tension between valuing Trump’s support for their security and preserving judicial independence from political whims. Netanyahu’s trial, already a lightning rod, now carries the added weight of foreign influence, complicating public trust.
Whether Herzog will entertain this plea remains uncertain, but Trump’s letter has undeniably shifted the spotlight. It’s a reminder that in politics, even the most entrenched legal battles can become pawns in a larger game of loyalty and power.
