'US saved Israel, now going to save Bibi': Donald Trump demands scrapping Netanyahu's corruption trial

 

US President Donald Trump has described the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “witch hunt” and called for the case to be dismissed. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he had “just learned that Bibi has been summoned to court” and suggested a pardon for the Israeli leader, whom he referred to as a “great hero”.

 

“Bibi and I just went through HELL together, fighting a very tough and brilliant longtime enemy of Israel, Iran,” Trump wrote on Wednesday. “Bibi could not have been better, sharper, or stronger in his LOVE for the incredible Holy Land.”

 

The comments represent a rare and highly unusual intervention by a US president—current or former—in the legal affairs of a close democratic ally. Trump has generally avoided public commentary on Netanyahu’s legal troubles in recent years. His remarks follow recent tensions between the two leaders, including Trump’s criticism of Israel’s ceasefire with Iran.

 

Trump, who has himself been indicted in several legal cases and argues that the charges are politically driven, appeared to draw a comparison between his experiences and Netanyahu’s. “It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu,” he said.

 

Netanyahu, 75, became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to testify in his own defence during a criminal trial when he took the stand in December. He faces charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery across three cases. Allegations include accepting gifts such as cigars and champagne from wealthy businessmen and offering regulatory benefits to media companies in exchange for favourable coverage.

 

Netanyahu has denied all charges, calling the proceedings politically motivated. The trial, which began in 2020, has been postponed multiple times due to ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

Middle East