‘Let Bibi Go’: Trump doubles down on demand to end Netanyahu’s corruption trial
In unprecedented intervention, US president calls proceedings a ‘witch hunt’ and, highlighting the billions in US aid to Israel, warns, ‘We are not going to stand for this’
For the second time in three days, US President Donald Trump late Saturday lambasted the ongoing criminal trial against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming that it harms efforts to strike deals in Gaza and with Iran and calling it a “travesty of justice.”
While not directly threatening the Israeli prosecution, Trump highlighted the billions of dollars in US aid to Israel before declaring, “We are not going to stand for this” and calling to “let Bibi go,” using the premier’s nickname.
“It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, continuing his unprecedented intervention in domestic Israeli judicial processes.
“He is a war hero, and a prime minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring great success in getting rid of the dangerous nuclear threat in Iran,” Trump continued. “Importantly, he is right now in the process of negotiating a deal with Hamas, which will include getting the hostages back.”
“How is it possible that the prime minister of Israel can be forced to sit in a courtroom all day long, over nothing,” he added, downplaying the charges against Netanyahu and calling the corruption trial a “witch hunt.”
“This travesty of ‘justice’ will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations,” Trump charged. “In other words, it is insanity doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu.”
Trump: "LET BIBI GO!"
– Compares the Israeli Prime Minister's ongoing court case to "A POLITICAL WITCH HUNT", similar to what the US President was "forced to endure"
– Calls it a "Travesty" and "INSANITY".
– "We are not going to stand for this," highlighting the billions of… pic.twitter.com/EyArLm6B7A
— James Spiro (@JamesSpiro) June 29, 2025
Trump highlighted that “The United States of America spends billions of dollar(s) a year, far more than on any other nation, protecting and supporting Israel,” before declaring, “We are not going to stand for this.”
Adding that “this greatly tarnishes our victory,” Trump demanded, “Let Bibi go. He’s got a big job to do.”
Netanyahu thanked Trump, appearing to welcome the intervention in domestic judicial proceedings. “Thank you again, @realDonaldTrump,” Netanyahu posted on X atop a screen capture of Trump’s Truth Social post. “Together, we make will make the Middle East Great Again!”
Opposition politicians, meanwhile, accused Netanyahu of selling out Israel’s national security for his own personal interests.
The Democrats MK Naama Lazimi argued that by “trading his indictment in exchange for a political settlement and an end to the war,” Netanyahu is exhibiting his unfitness for office, alleging that he is “conditioning the future of Israel and our children on his trial.”
Netanyahu is “acting against the Israeli public interest” by linking his legal troubles with the issue of the hostages and regional normalization agreements, tweeted Yesh Atid MK Karine Elharrar, asserting that Trump’s post had conditioned US aid on the prime minister’s trial.
Trump first commented on the ongoing criminal trials against Netanyahu on Thursday, saying that in the wake of the campaign against Iran, which he called one of the “Greatest Moments” in Israel’s history, he was “shocked” to hear that the country is “is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister!”
He denounced the case against Netanyahu as “politically motivated,” saying the prime minister has been going through a “Horror Show” since the trial began in 2020.
The unprecedented intervention in the Israeli justice system by an American president came as the cross-examination of Netanyahu, which began earlier this month, was due to resume after being halted while courts went on emergency footing amid the war with Iran.
After Trump’s first comments on the trial, Netanyahu thanked the US president or his “tremendous support for Israel and the Jewish people” and retweeted a Hebrew translation of Trump’s post, but did not directly comment on the call to end the trial.
Trump’s call to end the proceedings was met with mixed reactions from Israeli politicians. Many coalition members enthusiastically welcomed his comments, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and other high-ranking cabinet ministers all saying Trump was right and calling the trial a farce.
However, some had more muted reactions, including Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman, the chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, who said that Trump’s call to end Netanyahu’s trial was inappropriate even if he is correct.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said that while Israelis appreciate the US president, he should not involve himself in internal Israeli judicial issues.
“We are grateful to President Trump but as [MK] Simcha Rothman said – the president should not interfere in a legal process in an independent country,” Lapid stated. He added that he assumed weighing in on Netanyahu’s legal problems was a form of “compensation” from Trump to Netanyahu, “because he is going to bend [Netanyahu] on the Gaza issue, to end the war.”
Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases. He faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000 and Case 2000, and charges of bribery, as well as fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000.
The premier denies any wrongdoing and says all the charges were fabricated in a political coup led by the police and state prosecution.
Recent reports have indicated that Netanyahu and his allies are set to push for the cancelation of his trial.
Sam Sokol, Nava Frieberg and Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.