JERUSALEM \/ WASHINGTON \u2014 November 12, 2025.<\/strong> Former U.S. President Donald Trump has formally asked Israeli President Isaac Herzog to fully pardon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/strong>, who is standing trial on longstanding corruption charges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the letter made public by Herzog\u2019s office, Trump called Netanyahu a \u201cformidable and decisive wartime prime minister,\u201d and described the prosecution as \u201cpolitical, unjustified.\u201d He urged Herzog to end what he referred to as a \u201cwitch-hunt.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Netanyahu, who has pleaded not guilty to charges including fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes, is the first sitting Israeli leader to face a criminal trial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Herzog\u2019s office responded by confirming receipt of the letter, noting that in Israel a formal pardon requires a request from the person seeking it and cannot proceed simply on a third-party\u2019s appeal. The process remains tightly regulated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The move has sparked debate about U.S. involvement in Israeli internal affairs. Some observers warn that such a request could undermine the independence of Israel\u2019s judicial system, while supporters say it reflects deep strategic ties between Trump and Netanyahu. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Analysts say the timing is particularly sensitive: Israel remains engaged in a fragile security environment, and Netanyahu\u2019s trial continues to dominate domestic politics while he is also addressing war and peace issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Critics argue that the pardon request raises questions about precedent: Israeli law typically requires admission of guilt before clemency is considered, and granting a pardon under these circumstances could be seen as bypassing rule-of-law norms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For now, no formal request for a pardon has been submitted by Netanyahu. The letter from Trump adds a new dimension to the long-running trial and the U.S.\u2013Israel relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Letter urges Herzog to grant clemency amid trial, stirring debate on U.S. influence in Israel JERUSALEM \/ WASHINGTON \u2014 November 12, 2025. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has formally asked Israeli President Isaac Herzog to fully pardon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is standing trial on longstanding corruption charges. In the letter made public […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,22],"tags":[656,383,659,44,660,658,657,661,362,662,31,69],"class_list":["post-2704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s","category-world","tag-corruption","tag-diplomacy","tag-herzog","tag-israel","tag-letter","tag-middle-east","tag-netanyahu-2","tag-pardon","tag-politics","tag-trial","tag-trump","tag-u-s-2"],"yoast_head":"\n