Netanyahu is a great leader, he has done so much for Israel — his corruption case should be dismissed: President Donald Trump

Netanyahu is a great leader, he has done so much for Israel — his corruption case should be dismissed: President Donald Trump
[Washington, June 26, 2025]

U.S. President Donald Trump has labeled the ongoing corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “witch hunt” and a form of political revenge. He has called for the immediate dismissal of the case or for Netanyahu to be granted a pardon.

In a statement posted Wednesday on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said:

“The trial against Bibi Netanyahu should be dropped immediately, or such a great hero — who has done so much for Israel — should be pardoned.”

Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Since 2020, he has been facing three separate criminal cases. However, Netanyahu has consistently denied all allegations and declared himself completely innocent.

Trump further stated:

“A witch hunt like this against such a man is beyond imagination to me.”

According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu’s cross-examination began on June 3, 2025, at a court in Tel Aviv. The trial is expected to take about a year to conclude.

While Israeli President Isaac Herzog holds the constitutional authority to grant a pardon, he has already said:

“There is currently no consideration of such a move.”
He also added:
“No formal request has been submitted so far.”

In his message, Trump strongly emphasized:

“America protected Israel, and now America will protect Bibi Netanyahu.”

However, analysts remain doubtful about how much real influence Trump or the U.S. government can exert to halt Netanyahu’s trial.

Trump’s support for Netanyahu stands in contrast to his recent rare criticism of Israel. Just a day earlier, he had expressed dissatisfaction over Israel’s “massive bombing” following the ceasefire with Iran.

He stated:

“Right after we made the deal, Israel went ahead and dropped bombs in a way I’ve never seen before. It was the biggest strike ever. I’m not happy with it.”

Regarding the Iran-Israel conflict, Trump added:

“They’ve been fighting for so long and so intensely that now they don’t even know what they’re doing anymore.”

These remarks indicate that while Trump’s personal loyalty to Netanyahu remains firm, he is not hesitating to critically assess Israel’s military actions from his own strategic and moral standpoint.