The Media Line: Trump Blasts Herzog Over Netanyahu Trial, Demands Immediate Pardon 

Trump Blasts Herzog Over Netanyahu Trial, Demands Immediate Pardon 

By The Media Line Staff 

US President Donald Trump sharply criticized Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Thursday, urging him to grant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an immediate pardon and accusing him of failing to keep repeated promises to do so. 

Speaking in remarks reported by journalist Barak Ravid, President Trump said Herzog had pledged several times to pardon Netanyahu but had not followed through. The US president reportedly called Herzog “a disgrace” and said the Israeli leader should issue the pardon without delay. 

“He promised me five times that he would grant Bibi a pardon,” President Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. “I don’t want anything on Bibi’s mind other than fighting against Iran.” 

The comments add new tension to the long-running debate surrounding Netanyahu’s corruption trial, which began in 2020 and includes charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Netanyahu has consistently denied wrongdoing and has argued that the case against him is politically motivated. 

President Trump has repeatedly expressed support for Netanyahu and has compared the Israeli leader’s legal troubles to what he describes as politically driven prosecutions in the United States. In his latest remarks, the US president suggested that the legal proceedings could distract Israel’s leadership during a period of escalating confrontation with Iran. 

Under Israeli law, the president has the authority to grant pardons. Such decisions are typically made following recommendations from legal authorities and after careful review of the circumstances surrounding a case. The possibility of a pardon for Netanyahu has occasionally surfaced in Israeli political debate but remains controversial. 

Herzog’s office has previously indicated that any consideration of a pardon would follow the proper legal process and has denied claims that the president made firm commitments regarding the issue. 

The dispute comes at a sensitive moment for Israel as it remains engaged in a widening regional conflict with Iran following recent military strikes and retaliatory attacks across the Middle East. 

President Trump’s remarks signal an unusually direct attempt by a US leader to weigh in on Israel’s internal legal and political affairs while emphasizing his view that Netanyahu should focus entirely on the confrontation with Tehran.