Trump Urges Pardon for Netanyahu, Drawing Criticism Over Interference in Israel

[Thiệu Ngô]

Trump pens letter to Israeli president requesting pardon for Netanyahu

by Laura Kelly

The office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced Wednesday it had received a letter from President Trump requesting a pardon for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently standing trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

Trump, who was convicted in a criminal case on 34 felony counts in 2024, has called several times for Netanyahu to be pardoned by Herzog — most recently during a speech to the Israeli Knesset in October celebrating a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the return of living hostages.

In a statement from Herzog’s office, the Israeli president voiced appreciation for Trump’s “unwavering support for Israel” and contributions to the ceasefire and hostage release deal but pointed out that pardon requests must be carried out through “established procedures.”

“Alongside and not withstanding this, as the Office of the President has made clear throughout, anyone seeking a Presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with the established procedures,” the statement read.

A clemency request can be filed online.

A White House official confirmed to The Hill that Trump sent the letter to Herzog but did not immediately address a follow-up question over whether the White House or the president had filled out a request online.

Trump, in his letter, said that while he “respects the independence of the Israeli Justice System, and its requirements,” the case against Netanyahu is “a political, unjustified prosecution.”

He also criticized the corruption cases against Netanyahu as diverting the prime minister’s attention “unnecessarily,” and raising that it impacts Trump’s efforts to follow through on his plan for peace in Gaza and expanding the Abraham Accords to add more countries that recognize Israel.

“As the great State of Israel and the amazing Jewish people move past the terribly difficult times of the last three years, I hereby call on you to fully pardon Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a formidable and decisive Wartime Prime Minister, and is now leading Israel into a time of peace, which includes my continued work with key Middle East leaders to add many additional countries to the world changing Abraham Accords,” the letter reads.

Trump, addressing the Israeli president by his first name, said that now that the hostages were returned from captivity and that Hamas was being kept “in check,” Israel could pardon Netanyahu and allow the country to be united.

His peace push in the Gaza Strip is on shaky ground as the U.S. leader has given Hamas permission to reassert control in areas from which Israeli troops have withdrawn, and he is reportedly struggling to find a pathway to move from a cessation of hostilities to reconstruction in the strip — with open questions remaining on how to disarm Hamas; what acceptable governing body can take over; whether a Palestinian police force can exercise control; and the potential role of a yet-to-be-created “International Stabilization Force.”

Top Trump administration officials have visited Israel in a steady stream in what the administration is reportedly referring to as “Bibi-sitting,” referring to Netanyahu’s nickname, Bibi, and holding him to account on maintaining the ceasefire.

Netanyahu’s political allies welcomed Trump’s letter, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urging Herzog to “listen to President Trump!”

But Israeli opposition politicians focused their criticism on the prime minister soliciting international interference in domestic Israeli affairs.

“We are a proud nation, we are a sovereign nation, we are not a protectorate state. The Prime Minister cannot keep running to President Trump every time to ask for help,” Yair Lapid, head of the opposition party, said in a speech at the Knesset. “A proud nation, with national dignity, does not behave like this.”

Lapid, in a post on the social platform X, wrote, “Reminder: Israeli law stipulates that the first condition for receiving a pardon is an admission of guilt and an expression of remorse for the actions.”