U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called on Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently facing three separate corruption cases.
Speaking before the Israeli parliament, Trump expressed strong support for his long-time ally, dismissing the allegations involving luxury gifts as trivial. “Cigars and champagne—who the hell cares about that?” he joked, referring to one of the cases in which Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, allegedly received over $260,000 worth of luxury items, including cigars, jewelry, and champagne, from wealthy businessmen in exchange for political favors.
Turning to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Trump said, “Hey, I have an idea, Mr. President—why don’t you give him a pardon?” He then added, “By the way, that wasn’t in the speech, as you probably know. But I happen to like this gentleman right over here,” gesturing toward Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has consistently denied any wrongdoing in all three cases. His supporters claim the charges are politically motivated attempts to undermine his leadership. In addition to the gifts scandal, Netanyahu is accused of trying to secure more favorable media coverage from two Israeli news outlets in separate cases.
Since beginning his current term in late 2022, Netanyahu has advanced a controversial judicial reform plan, which critics argue was designed to weaken the independence of Israel’s courts. The proposed reforms triggered mass protests across the country, which only subsided following the outbreak of the Gaza war.
Recently, President Herzog suggested that a pardon for Netanyahu could be possible, acknowledging in a media interview that the prime minister’s ongoing legal troubles “weigh heavily on Israeli society.”
Adding to his legal woes, Netanyahu is also facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which accuses him of war crimes related to Israel’s military actions against Hamas militants in Gaza.
