Israeli President Herzog Resists Trump Pressure, Says Netanyahu Pardon Still Under Legal Review

President Isaac Herzog of Israel has publicly affirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pardon request has not been decided, pushing back against characterizations made by Donald Trump that suggested Herzog was delaying or refusing to grant the clemency petition without legitimate justification.
In a statement issued Thursday, Herzog’s office detailed the ongoing legal review process, explaining that the Ministry of Justice is currently preparing a formal legal opinion on the pardon application according to established protocols. The statement stressed that Herzog would make his final decision only after this process is complete and would do so based strictly on legal merits, without regard to political pressure from any domestic or international source.
Trump’s criticism of Herzog came during a White House press conference conducted while Netanyahu was in the United States for diplomatic consultations. The former American president used harsh language, telling reporters that Herzog “should be ashamed of himself” and suggesting that Israeli citizens should publicly shame their president for not responding favorably to the pardon request. The comments marked an extraordinary intervention in another nation’s legal processes.
The corruption allegations facing Netanyahu are serious and wide-ranging. Two cases center on accusations that he arranged deals with Israeli media companies, trading governmental decisions for favorable news coverage of himself and his family. A third case involves charges that Netanyahu accepted more than $260,000 in high-end gifts—including expensive cigars, premium champagne, and luxury jewelry—from billionaire associates who allegedly received political favors in exchange.
Netanyahu’s position as Israel’s first sitting prime minister to face criminal prosecution has made his trials a focal point of national political debate since they began in 2019. Throughout the proceedings, Netanyahu has steadfastly maintained his innocence, describing the cases as a politically motivated attempt to remove him from power. While prosecutors initially brought four separate charges, one has since been dismissed. Trump’s involvement in the pardon campaign began with his October speech to the Knesset, after which Netanyahu’s attorneys formally petitioned Herzog for executive clemency.