Trump condemns Netanyahu corruption trial as a “witch-hunt” and advocates for its annulment | Corruption Update

In a statement, US President Donald Trump called for Israel to abort or pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial, branding the case as a “witch-hunt.” This comes after Netanyahu, an ally of Trump, was indicted in 2019 for charges including bribery and fraud. Netanyahu, who denies the allegations, has been undergoing trial which commenced in 2020 and comprises of three criminal cases. Trump, through his Truth Social platform, reasoned that Netanyahu has been a “Great Hero” for Israel and urged for the trial’s immediate cancellation or a pardon. Such a pardon would require Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who has seemingly waved off such a possibility as not currently under consideration. The support from Trump towards Netanyahu presents an interesting contrast to his earlier public disapproval of Israel’s post-ceasefire strikes on Iran, criticizing the actions as aggressive and ill-timed. It remains uncertain how much influence or ability the US or Trump personally could exert on halting Netanyahu’s trial.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/26/witch-hunt-trump-calls-for-cancellation-of-netanyahus-corruption?traffic_source=rss