From the Liveblog of
Monday, October 13, 2025
In Knesset speech, Trump calls on Herzog to pardon Netanyahu for corruption charges
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
In a speech to the Knesset, US President Donald Trump calls on President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently on trial on corruption charges, and stands accused of of fraud and breach of trust over a scandal involving the acceptance of luxury gifts.
“I have an idea, why don’t you give Netanyahu a pardon?” Trump says during a speech in the Knesset, in comments directed at Herzog. Trump erroneously calls Netanyahu “one of the great wartime presidents,” rather than referring to him as prime minister.
Trump adds, in a reference to the gifts Netanyahu allegedly received, “Who cares about cigars and champagne?”
The aside prompts murmurs and crosstalk, as well as applause, in the Knesset.
This is not the first time that Trump has called for Netanyahu to be let off the legal hook. This summer, the US president demanded the end of Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial in a lengthy post on Truth Social.
“BREAKING NEWS… I was shocked to hear that the State of Israel, which has just had one of its Greatest Moments in History, and is strongly led by Bibi Netanyahu, is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister!” Trump wrote at the time.
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