From the Washington Examiner: President Donald Trump has requested Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of crimes he is accused of committing.
Herzog said Wednesday he received an official letter from Trump making the request. The move comes after Trump has repeatedly suggested the accusations leveled against Netanyahu are sham, politically motivated charges. He has frequently pushed Herzog in recent months to pardon the prime minister, including during his high-profile speech to the Israeli parliament in October.
“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 in the letter shared by Herzog’s office.
Trump framed a pardon as an opportunity to further stabilize Israel after the country recently signed onto a historic though fragile peace deal suspending a three-year-long war with Hamas, and secured the release of all living hostages from the terrorist group in Gaza.
In the letter shared by Herzog, President Trump further wrote:
“As the Great State of Israel and the amazing Jewish People move past the terribly difficult times of the last three years, I hereby call on you to fully pardon Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister, 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.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has stood tall for Israel in the face of strong adversaries and long odds, and his attention cannot be unnecessarily diverted.”
“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,” Trump pleaded.
🚨🇺🇸🇮🇱President Trump sent a letter to Israeli President Herzog calling him to pardon Prime Minister Netanyahu pic.twitter.com/FDKs5rTiHq
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) November 12, 2025
The Washington Examiner points out that the pardon process is more complicated in Israel than it is in the U.S.
In Israel, a defendant or a member of their family must go through the process of appealing to the president for a pardon, and the country’s Ministry of Justice must also typically weigh in and recommend a pardon. There are also some legal restrictions on pardoning a defendant who has not yet been convicted, as in Netanyahu’s case.
In response, Herzog reportedly said “anyone seeking a Presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with the established procedures.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he received a letter from President Trump on Wednesday asking him to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial in three separate corruption cases.
In a 60 Minutes interview that aired on November 2, Trump said he believes… pic.twitter.com/29ym9EARwx
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 12, 2025
READ MORE from the Washington Examiner.
President Donald Trump has requested Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of crimes he is accused of committing. https://t.co/nXpdWVV9u3
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 12, 2025
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