Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to the courtroom at the Distrcit court in Tel Aviv, before the start of his testimony in the trial against him, June 3, 2025. Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90

In a highly unusual call to cancel a running legal process in another country, U.S. President Donald Trump demanded an end to the ongoing corruption trial against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a long post to Truth Social on Wednesday.

Trump wrote he was “shocked to hear” that Israel, despite having “one of its greatest moments in history,” is continuing its “ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister.”

“Bibi and I just went through HELL together, fighting a very tough and brilliant longtime enemy of Israel, Iran, and Bibi could not have been better, sharper, or stronger in his LOVE for the incredible Holy Land… We were fighting, literally, for the Survival of Israel,” Trump said.

🚨BREAKING: President Trump calls for Israeli PM Netanyahu’s trial on Monday to be canceled:

“Witch hunt. He deserves much better than this, and so does the State of Israel.”

“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be canceled, immediately, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero.” pic.twitter.com/pteyDPXrgE — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 25, 2025

The president described the corruption trial as “this long running, (He has been going through this “Horror Show” since May of 2020 – Unheard of! This is the first time a sitting Israeli Prime Minister has ever been on trial.), politically motivated case, “concerning cigars, a Bugs Bunny doll, and numerous other unfair charges” in order to do him great harm.”

The president concluded: “Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State… 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. THIS TRAVESTY OF ‘JUSTICE’ CAN NOT BE ALLOWED!”

Reactions by politicians in Netanyahu’s coalition ranged from cautious optimism to enthusiastic support, while opposition leaders took their time responding and struck a cautious tone, apparently wary of angering Trump.

According to Israel Hayom, citing sources within the coalition, Trump is considering officially asking President Isaac Herzog to cancel Netanyahu’s trial.

Simcha Rotman, the main architect of the controversial Judicial Reforms, noted that “The Israeli judicial system has many flaws, and the Netanyahu trial is perhaps a prime example of the accumulation of such flaws.”

“It is not the role” of a U.S. president to “intervene in judicial proceedings,” Rotman wrote in a detailed statement, but added: “It is very much the role of the President of the State of Israel, who can put an end to this foolish saga in the most elegant way.”

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who in the past served as justice minister and has long advocated reforms to Israel’s judicial systems, said that as Netanyahu was focused on preparing the Iran campaign, “the prosecution was busy preparing the cross-examination of the Prime Minister.”

For months, Netanyahu “was required to appear daily and give testimony in a ‘trial’ that lost all meaning long ago,” Sa’ar wrote, harshly criticizing several aspects of the process.

“Over two years ago, while I was still in the opposition, I called to end this saga through a mutually agreed plea deal… The Prime Minister, who is managing this historic campaign around the clock with devotion, has had to continue simultaneously dealing with his trial.”

Sa’ar further argued that the Attorney General could have “long ago” used her legal authority to suspend proceedings. “So when the President of the United States calls for the trial to be canceled or for a pardon—can anyone honestly say he’s wrong?”

More enthusiastic support for Trump’s demand came from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz, and Sports Minister Miki Zohar.

הנשיא טראמפ צודק – הגיע הזמן לבטל את המשפט!

נשיא המעצמה הגדולה בעולם, וחבר אמת של העם היהודי, דונלד טראמפ, מבטא בקול את מה שרבים מאזרחי ישראל חשים בליבם – דווקא ובמיוחד בעיצומם של ימים היסטוריים בתולדות המדינה.

מורשתו של ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו תיחקק בדברי הימים כמי שהציל את… pic.twitter.com/VlNn3qiHHv — Miki Zohar מיקי זוהר (@zoharm7) June 26, 2025

On the other side of Israel’s political divide, opposition leader and Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid noted that the whole country has “gratitude for President Trump” and his decision to target the Iranian nuclear program.

“But as Simcha Rotman said – the president should not interfere in a legal process in an independent country. I assume this is compensation he is giving [Netanyahu] because [Trump] is going to bend him on the Gaza issue. To end the war,” Lapid speculated.

Democrats lawmaker Naama Lazimi accused Netanyahu of “recruiting” Trump to end the trial.

“If there’s anything that shows us how an entire country is held hostage by a criminal defendant—it’s Trump’s announcement. Netanyahu, release Israel’s democratic system from your stranglehold. The corruption of one man cannot destroy all of Israeli society. Enough,” she wrote on X.

Donald Trump has called for the ongoing criminal trial against Benjamin Netanyahu to be cancelled, describing it as a “witch hunt”.

The US president issued the call yesterday evening on behalf of his Israeli ally, who is due to return to court on Monday after being charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in 2019.

“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me,” he added.

It is an unprecedented intervention by a US president in Israeli politics and comes after the case was halted due to the war in Iran.

Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party received a popularity boost in the wake of the bombing campaign, according to a new poll that found it would win 26 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, up four from pre-war polls.

Channel 12, however, reported that sources close to the Israeli prime minister had expected a larger bump and that his poor approval ratings may have delayed plans to hold a snap election after the war. The poll would leave Mr Netanyahu without a majority, likely forcing him into a coalition with ultra-nationalists who have called for the destruction of Gaza.

Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump said he was “shocked” to hear that the case against his Israeli counterpart would continue on Monday after the country “just had one of its Greatest Moments in History”.

“Bibi and I just went through HELL together, fighting a very tough and brilliant longtime enemy of Israel, Iran, and Bibi could not have been better, sharper, or stronger in his LOVE for the incredible Holy Land,” the US president said.

“We were fighting, literally, for the Survival of Israel, and there is nobody in Israel’s History that fought harder or more competently than Bibi Netanyahu,” he continued.

In December, Mr Netanyahu, who denies the charges, became the first Israeli prime minister to take the stand as a defendant in a corruption trial.

Cigars and champagne

The 75-year-old is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of cigars and champagne from a Hollywood producer in exchange for help with personal and business interests, and promoting favourable regulation for media moguls.

Cross-examination of Mr Netanyahu began on June 3, 10 days before Israel launched its aerial campaign against Iran, which ended in a ceasefire on Tuesday.

He described the charges as an “ocean of absurdity” and claims the charges have been orchestrated by the media and a biased legal system.

The trial has been delayed a number of times since it began in May 2020, including the ongoing war in Gaza and the invasion of Lebanon.

Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, has the power to pardon Mr Netanyahu should he be found guilty, though this is unlikely, according to media reports.

Mr Trump, who faced his own legal troubles in the run up to the 2024 election, said the United States would “save” Mr Nentanyahu from his legal troubles, though it is unclear what the US president could do to stop the trial.

His support for Mr Netanyahu comes just days after he issued a rare public rebuke of Israel for continuing to bomb Iran, despite a ceasefire – negotiated by Mr Trump – coming into effect.

Mr Trump accused both countries of not knowing “what the f—- they’re doing” after 12 days of war.

The US joined the war on Saturday when it dropped 14 “bunker busting” bombs on Iran’s key nuclear facilities, which Mr Trump said had been “totally obliterated”.

Pershing Square Capital Management CEO Bill Ackman launched a scathing attack on Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday over his endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, the progressive Democrat who won New York City’s mayoral primary.

What Happened: The hedge fund manager denied reports he endorsed incumbent Eric Adams and suggested a new centrist candidate could emerge for November’s general election.

Ackman expressed “grave concern” about Mamdani’s victory, calling the 33-year-old state lawmaker an “avowed socialist” whose policies would be “disastrous for NYC.” The billionaire investor warned that Mamdani’s anti-business stance could trigger an exodus of wealthy taxpayers, potentially reducing city and state revenues by $5-10 billion from his industry alone.

“Socialism has no place in the economic capital of our country,” Ackman wrote on social media platform X. He compared potential economic flight to Ken Griffin‘s move from Chicago to Miami, describing it as “on steroids.”

I awoke this morning gravely concerned about New York City. I thought “What has NYC become that an avowed socialist who has supported defunding the police, whose solution to lowering food prices is city-owned supermarkets, who doesn’t understand that freezing rents will only… — Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) June 26, 2025

Ackman specifically criticized Schumer’s praise of Mamdani, calling it “pathetic” pandering driven by fears that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) might challenge him. Schumer had lauded Mamdani’s “impressive campaign that connected with New Yorkers about affordability, fairness, & opportunity.”

It is clear that all that @SenSchumer cares about is his reelection prospects. As the Democratic Party veers further to the left, he fears @AOC will take his seat.

Exhibit A is today’s pandering to @ZohranKMamdani.

Pathetic. This will be his legacy. https://t.co/N5fYrXdgF2 — Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) June 25, 2025

The hedge fund manager clarified reports suggesting he endorsed Adams, stating he “may ultimately support” the incumbent but has made no decision. Adams is running as an independent after corruption charges were dropped following Trump administration intervention.

See Also: Trump Calls For Canceling Netanyahu’s ‘Witch-Hunt’ Corruption Trial, Calls It A ‘Travesty Of Justice’

Why It Matters: Despite his concerns, Ackman expressed optimism about potential alternatives. He indicated “hundreds of millions of dollars” in funding is available for a centrist candidate, with only 132 days until the election. The investor suggested former Mayor Michael Bloomberg could provide campaign infrastructure and expertise.

However, any alternative candidate would likely need to run as a write-in, since current ballot candidates cannot be replaced without established nominating committees.

Mamdani won the Democratic primary with 43.5% of the votes, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo‘s 36.4%. The victory came despite over $25 million in outside spending supporting Cuomo from major donors, including Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone and Avenue Capital Group CEO Marc Lasry.

President Donald Trump criticized Mamdani’s victory on Truth Social, while Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) praised his grassroots campaign. The outcome represents a significant shift for America’s financial capital, with potential implications for business confidence and municipal bond markets.

Final ranked-choice voting results are expected July 1, though Mamdani’s substantial lead makes his nomination likely. He would become New York’s first Muslim mayor if elected in November.

Read Next:

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

US President Donald Trump described the case against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) as a “witch hunt”. PHOTO: REUTERS

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on June 25 called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his trial on corruption charges, saying the US would save him like it did with his country.

Mr Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust – all of which Mr Netanyahu denies.

The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty.

“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Mr Netanyahu was due to appear in court on June 30 .

Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Mr Netanyahu began on June 3 in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete.

Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Mr Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is “not currently on the table”.

He also said that “no such request had been made”, according to the reports.

Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid said Mr Trump should keep out of the matter.

“With all due respect and gratitude to the president of the United States, he’s not supposed to intervene in a legal process of an independent state,” Mr Lapid said.

“I hope and suppose that this is a reward he (Trump) is giving him (Netanyahu) because he is planning to pressure him on Gaza and force, to force him into a hostage deal that will end the war,” Mr Lapid told Israeli news website Ynet.

Mr Trump extolled Mr Netanyahu as a “warrior” but also said in his post: “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.”

That appeared to be a reference to US involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme. Mr Trump announced a ceasefire on June 23 .

It was unclear if Mr Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Mr Netanyahu in his legal battle.

The Republican president described the case against the Israeli leader as a “witch hunt”, a term Mr Trump has frequently applied to US attempts to prosecute him and the same term Mr Netanyahu has used to describe his own long-running trial.

The warm words contrasted with the rare rebuke he issued on June 24 over Israel’s post-ceasefire strikes on Iran.

“Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. The biggest load that we’ve seen. I’m not happy with Israel,” he told reporters.

Iran and Israel, he added, had been fighting “so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing.” REUTERS

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United States President Donald Trump has called for Israel to cancel the corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, or grant him a pardon, describing the case against the Israeli leader as a “witch-hunt”, Al Jazeera reports.

Trump issued the call on Wednesday on behalf of his close Israeli ally, who was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

Netanyahu’s trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.

“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform using the Israeli leader’s nickname, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday.

“Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me,” Trump added.

Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on June 3 in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu, but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is “not currently on the table”.

Herzog also said that “no such request had been made”, according to the reports.

Trump also said in his post: “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.”

It was unclear what Trump or the US government could do to stop Netanyahu’s corruption trial.

Trump’s words of support for Netanyahu contrasted with the rare public rebuke he issued against the Israeli leader on Tuesday over Israel’s post-ceasefire strikes on Iran.

“Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. The biggest load that we’ve seen. I’m not happy with Israel,” Trump told reporters at the time.