Donald Trump vowed to “save” Benjamin Netanyahu as he hit out at the Israeli prime minister’s “witch-hunt” corruption trial.
Trump claimed Israel’s prime minister was a “great hero” and “warrior” who faced politically motivated charges and called for the trial to be cancelled.
The president’s intervention comes as Netanyahu’s cross-examination, which began on 4 June, is set to resume on Monday. He faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and denies all of them.
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“Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me. He deserves much better than this, and so does the State of Israel,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State.
“It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu.”
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019. He pleaded not guilty after the trial, involving three criminal cases, began in 2020.
In the first case, the Israeli PM is alleged to have committed fraud and breach of trust over claims he and his wife Sara received expensive gifts illicitly from a Hollywood media mogul, according to The Times of Israel.
In the second, he is accused of fraud and breach trust over allegedly trying to persuade a newspaper publisher to give him positive coverage in exchange for legislation weakening the newspaper’s key rival.
In the third case Netanyahu is alleged to have passed legislation which financially benefited a telecommunications giant shareholder in return for more favourable media coverage.
Trump frequently used the term “witch-hunt” to describe his own legal battles prior to his re-election in November 2024.
Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media saying that is “not currently on the table.”
It was unclear if Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Netanyahu, but it marked a change of tone from Tuesday when he claimed Israel and Iran “don’t know what the f*** they’re doing.”
Seven US stealth bombers dropped 14 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s nuclear facilities early on Sunday morning after Israel began striking Iranian targets on 13 June.
Trump claimed Iran was days away from developing a nuclear weapon, and later announced a ceasefire agreement had been reached between Israel and Iran.
