Trump Sends Letter to Herzog Asking him to Pardon Netanyahu, says Corruption Trial ‘Unjustified’
By LAZAR BERMAN
US President Donald Trump sends a letter to President Isaac Herzog formally asking Israel’s head of state to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption.
“It is my honor to write to you at this historic time, as we have, together, just secured peace that has been sought for at least 3,000 years,” writes Trump in his letter, received this morning by Herzog.
“I hereby call on you to fully pardon Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister,” writes Trump, “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.”
Trump stresses that “I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli Justice System,” but decries the corruption charges against Netanyahu as a “political, unjustified prosecution.”
“Isaac, we have established a great relationship, one that I am very thankful for and honored by, and we agreed as soon as I was inaugurated in January that the focus had to be centered on finally bringing the hostages home and getting the peace agreement done,” Trump concludes. “Now that we have achieved these unprecedented successes, and are keeping Hamas in check, it is time to let Bibi unite Israel by pardoning him, and ending that lawfare once and for all.”
In his Knesset speech last month, Trump called on Herzog to pardon Netanyahu.
The prime minister is currently on trial and is charged with one count of bribery, as well as fraud and breach of trust, in three separate cases relating to corruption allegations against him. His trial began in 2020 and is still far from reaching an end.
Herzog declines to take a position, saying in a statement from his office that a pardon request must go through the proper channels.
“The president holds great respect for President Trump and repeatedly expresses his appreciation for Trump’s unwavering support of Israel and his tremendous contribution to the return of the hostages, the reshaping of the Middle East and Gaza, and the safeguarding of Israel’s security,” says the President’s Residence.
“Without detracting from the above, as the president has made clear on multiple occasions, anyone seeking a pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with the established procedures.”
The president of the state is empowered to grant pardons to those convicted in court and, on very rare occasions, even before legal proceedings have been concluded if it is deemed to be in the public interest.
The individual seeking the pardon, or an immediate family member, must make the request. Netanyahu and his relatives have yet to do that. But Channel 13 reported last month, citing sources in the Prime Minister’s Office, that there are discussions underway about Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, submitting the request.
Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.
The letter sent by US President Donald Trump to President Isaac Herzog, asking the Israeli head of state to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, released November 12, 2025
Original source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/trump-sends-letter-to-herzog-asking-him-to-pardon-netanyahu-says-corruption-trial-unjustified/