Trump steps up push for Israel president to pardon Netanyahu
Published in News & Features
U.S. President Donald Trump stepped up his push for Israel’s president to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who’s facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
President Isaac Herzog “should be ashamed of himself” for not granting a pardon, Trump told reporters on Thursday. “He doesn’t want to do it because I guess he loses his power. I think the people of Israel should really shame him. He’s disgraceful.”
Herzog’s office said he needed to wait on a legal opinion from the justice ministry before making a decision.
These were Trump’s most forthright comments on the matter. He first urged Herzog to grant a pardon last year, arguing that Netanyahu was a “formidable” leader whose “attention cannot be unnecessarily diverted” by the ongoing trial.
Trump’s comments last year led to criticism, with Israelis accusing him of meddling in their political and judicial matters. The latest ones came after Netanyahu visited Trump at the White House to discuss Iran and Gaza.
Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving leader, has denied any wrongdoing and accuses Israeli prosecutors and police of a “witch-hunt” against him.
©2026 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Comments