U.S. President Donald Trump has made headlines again—this time in Israel—after calling for the pardon of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently facing trial in three separate corruption cases.
Speaking at the Knesset during an official visit, Trump dismissed the allegations against his longtime ally, saying, “Cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about that?” in reference to the accusations that Netanyahu and his wife received over $260,000 worth of luxury items from billionaires in exchange for political favours.
In a moment that appeared off-script, Trump turned to Israeli President Isaac Herzog and said, “Hey, I have an idea, Mr President—why don’t you give him a pardon?” He added with a smile, “That wasn’t in the speech, as you probably know. But I happen to like this gentleman right over here,” pointing to Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, currently serving his latest term as prime minister, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. His supporters argue the cases are politically motivated and aimed at removing him from power. The charges also include alleged attempts to secure favourable media coverage from two Israeli outlets in exchange for political influence.
Trump’s comments come amid growing scrutiny of Netanyahu’s leadership, especially following his controversial push for judicial reforms—a move that sparked massive protests across Israel earlier this year. Those protests only subsided after the outbreak of war in Gaza.
The Israeli leader is also facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes related to military actions in Gaza. While Trump avoided discussing the ICC matter during his speech, the U.S. has previously rejected the warrant and imposed sanctions on some ICC officials.
Back in the U.S., Trump has often drawn parallels between Netanyahu’s legal troubles and his own, calling both “political witch hunts.” In a Truth Social post earlier this year, Trump wrote that Netanyahu was being targeted “very similar to the witch hunt that I was forced to endure.”
Trump’s show of support for Netanyahu may further deepen political tensions both within Israel and abroad, especially as the Israeli prime minister continues to navigate legal, political, and international pressure.
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