Donald Trump has written a letter urging Israel’s president to consider pardoning Benjamin Netanyahu amid his long-running corruption trial.
The US president told Israel’s Isaac Herzog that the case against the prime minister was, in his view, “a political, unjustified prosecution”.
Trump said in a letter shared on Wednesday that Netanyahu had been a “formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister”, whose attention could not be “unnecessarily diverted” from a wider regional peace process.
“While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli Justice System, and its requirements, I believe that this ‘case’ against Bibi, who has fought alongside me for a long time, including against the very tough adversary of Israel, Iran, is a political, unjustified prosecution,” Trump said.
The office said that anyone seeking a presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with the established procedures. Neither Netanyahu nor his close associates have made such a request.
Herzog said he holds Trump in “high regard” and values his “unwavering support of Israel”, but said “anyone seeking a pardon must submit a request in accordance with the established procedures”.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He was accused of accepting expensive gifts and exchanging regulatory favours with media owners for positive press coverage.
The trial began in 2020. Netanyahu has denied all claims against him and pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors allege that Netanyahu granted regulatory favours worth around £430 million to Bezeq Telecom Israel in return for positive coverage of himself and his wife on a news website controlled by the company’s former chairman.
Netanyahu has said he received nothing from controlling shareholder Shaul Elovitch. He said coverage of him was negative.
Netanyahu was also charged with fraud and breach of trust over allegations that he and his wife wrongfully received almost £170,000 in gifts from Arnon Milchan, a Hollywood producer, and Australian billionaire James Packer, in return for personal favours.
The prime minister testified that the gifts were tokens of friendship, and that he did not act inappropriately in exchange for them.
Netanyahu is also alleged to have negotiated a deal with the owner of Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Arnon Mozes, for better coverage in return for legislation to slow the growth of a rival newspaper.
The Israel PM has said legislation that would have limited the circulation of the rival paper never passed, and that he dissolved his coalition in 2015 because of his opposition to it.
Bribery charges carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years and/or a fine in Israel. Fraud and breach of trust are punishable by up to three years in jail.
The war in Gaza turned attention away from the long-running trial, which is yet to conclude. In June, Trump said that the judicial process would interfere with Netanyahu’s ability to conduct talks with Hamas and Iran.
Since the ceasefire came into effect last month, Donald Trump has doubled down on his public backing of Netanyahu.
During Trump’s visit to Israel in October, he had also urged Herzog to pardon the prime minister in an address to parliament in Jerusalem.
Despite the largely ceremonial role of the Israeli presidency, Herzog has the authority to pardon convicted criminals under unusual circumstances.
Netanyahu has characterised his legal ordeal as a left-wing “witch-hunt” aimed at toppling an elected right-wing leader.
The government faced wide scrutiny in Israel after launching a campaign to curb the powers of the court, following Netanyahu’s electoral victory in 2022. It sparked mass protests in Israel and fears among Western allies for the country’s democratic health.
The plan was largely abandoned after the war in Gaza broke out in 2023.
