JERUSALEM, Israel — Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s office confirmed Wednesday that it received a letter from President Donald Trump requesting a pardon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Trump’s appeal marks his latest intervention on Netanyahu’s behalf, following similar public remarks made during his October address to the Israeli Knesset celebrating a ceasefire in Gaza.
In the letter, Trump praised Netanyahu as a “formidable and decisive wartime Prime Minister” and urged Herzog to grant a full pardon to “unite the country” as Israel moves toward reconstruction and peace. Trump said the corruption charges against Netanyahu were “political” and had distracted from efforts to expand the Abraham Accords and stabilize Gaza.
Herzog’s office acknowledged Trump’s “unwavering support for Israel” but emphasized that pardon requests must follow established procedures through a formal online submission. A White House official confirmed to The Hill that Trump sent the letter but did not say whether a formal request was filed.
Netanyahu’s allies, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, praised Trump’s appeal, while opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized it as “foreign interference” and reminded that Israeli law requires an admission of guilt before a pardon can be considered. The episode adds new political tension as Trump seeks to maintain influence over Middle East policy amid questions about his Gaza peace strategy.
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