Egypt Daily News – President Donald Trump has praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a “warrior,” and mocked his ongoing corruption trial, describing it as a “horror show” driven by political motives. Trump urged for the trial to be canceled.
On Wednesday, Trump called on Israel to cancel Netanyahu’s corruption trial. In a post on his platform, Truth Social, Trump said he was “shocked to hear” that Israel was “continuing the ridiculous witch hunt against its great wartime Prime Minister.”
Trump, who himself has faced four legal cases ahead of the 2024 elections, has repeatedly used the term “witch hunt” to describe his own legal battles. He praised Netanyahu, labeling him a “warrior,” and ridiculed the trial as politically motivated. Trump demanded that the trial “be canceled immediately, or a pardon be granted to this great hero who has done so much for the State of Israel.”
He also wrote: “The United States of America saved Israel, and now the United States of America will save Bibi Netanyahu. This farce cannot be allowed to continue.” It was unclear whether Trump meant the U.S. could or should intervene in Netanyahu’s legal situation.
Background of the Charges
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust all of which he denies. His trial began in 2020 and involves three separate criminal cases. Netanyahu maintains his innocence.
Israeli media reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu by the prosecution began on June 3 at a Tel Aviv court and is expected to continue for nearly a year.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog holds the authority to issue a pardon for Netanyahu, but according to local media, he has stated that a pardon is “not currently under consideration,” and that no such request has been submitted.
During a court session on Monday, June 9, which was part of the cross-examination process, Netanyahu’s lawyer Amit Hadad requested that the session end at 1:45 p.m. due to an “important diplomatic call at 2:30 p.m.”
According to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Hadad did not disclose the nature of the call and noted that he was not in direct communication with the Prime Minister due to trial restrictions that prohibit defense attorneys from speaking with the defendant during cross-examination.
Judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman asked if a break could be taken instead of ending the session early, but Hadad replied that this was not feasible. The purpose of the cross-examination is to highlight contradictions in Netanyahu’s statements and assess the credibility of his narrative.
Netanyahu has already testified multiple times in court over the course of several months, and the trial has been ongoing for over five years.
