Israeli President Isaac Herzog has received a formal letter from U.S. President Donald Trump, urging him to consider granting a presidential pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Herzog’s office confirmed on Wednesday.
Netanyahu has been facing a long-running corruption trial and has consistently pleaded not guilty to the charges. In the letter, Trump described the case against Netanyahu as politically motivated and “unjustified”, emphasizing Netanyahu’s longstanding alliance with him in matters of regional security, including opposition to Iran.
“While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli Justice System and its requirements, I believe that this ‘case’ against Bibi… is a political, unjustified prosecution,” Trump wrote, according to Herzog’s office.
Herzog’s office noted that any request for a presidential pardon must follow formal procedures as established under Israeli law.
This is not the first time Trump has publicly called for a pardon. During his visit to Israel in October, he addressed the Knesset in Jerusalem, urging Herzog to intervene on behalf of Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, who was indicted in 2019 on three separate corruption cases, faces allegations including receiving nearly Ksh27 billion in gifts from businessmen. Despite the largely ceremonial nature of the Israeli presidency, the president has the authority to grant pardons under exceptional circumstances.
The prime minister has described his ongoing trial, which began in 2020, as a politically motivated campaign by left-wing factions aimed at removing an elected right-wing leader from office.
