ALBAWABA- U.S. President Donald Trump has stirred political controversy by publicly calling for the immediate cancellation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial.
Trump declared that he and Netanyahu had “gone through hell together” and celebrated their “great victory against Iran, Israel’s archenemy.”
He has called for the immediate cancellation of Netanyahu’s corruption trial, describing it as a “witch hunt” and a “travesty of justice.”
In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed outrage that Netanyahu, whom he praised as “Israel’s greatest wartime Prime Minister,” is still being prosecuted despite what he described as historic achievements.
“I was shocked to hear that the State of Israel… is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister!” Trump wrote.
He credited Netanyahu for his leadership during what he called “one of [Israel’s] greatest moments in history,” specifically referencing recent military action against Iran and likening Netanyahu to “perhaps no other Warrior in the History of Israel.”
Trump went on to condemn the Israeli legal system, calling the charges “politically motivated” and mocking them as revolving around “cigars, a Bugs Bunny doll, and numerous other unfair charges.”
Referring to the trial as a “horror show,” Trump argued that Netanyahu “deserves much better than this,” insisting that the trial should be “cancelled immediately or a pardon given to a great hero.”
He concluded by claiming, “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.”
The remarks sparked sharp reactions across Israel’s political spectrum. Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned Trump’s statement: "He should not interfere in the legal process of an independent state.” Labor Party Knesset member Gilad Kariv added, “No one is above the law, not even the Prime Minister.”
In contrast, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed Trump’s call, claiming, “Israel is a sovereign state, but President Trump is right; the time has come to cancel the trial orchestrated by the deep state.”
Netanyahu is currently facing charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in multiple cases, which have been ongoing since before his return to office. The corruption trial has become a symbol of the broader internal divide in Israel over the rule of law and judicial independence.
Observers note that Netanyahu's continuation of the war in Gaza and his widening regional confrontation have served to shift public focus away from his legal battles.
Many believe that prolonging the conflict has become a political survival strategy for Netanyahu, who faces mounting domestic and international pressure and is wanted as a war criminal by the ICJ.
