President Donald Trump sparked a brief diplomatic dust-up this week after remarks he made during a bilateral press appearance suggested that Israel’s president was preparing to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump and Netanyahu met for several hours at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, followed by an extended question-and-answer session with reporters. During the exchange, Trump was asked whether Netanyahu—who is currently facing multiple corruption trials in Israel—deserved a pardon.
“I think he will,” Trump replied. “How do you not? He’s a wartime prime minister who’s a hero. How do you not give a pardon?”
Trump went further, telling reporters that he had personally discussed the matter with Israel’s head of state. “I spoke to the president, he tells me it’s on its way,” Trump said. “You can’t do better than that, right?”
Within hours, however, Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s office publicly pushed back, disputing Trump’s account. In a statement released shortly after the press conference, Herzog’s office said there had been no such conversation.
“There has been no conversation between President Herzog and President Trump since the pardon request was submitted,” the statement said.
The clarification went on to explain that while there had been prior contact involving Trump’s team, it did not involve any new assurances or commitments. According to Herzog’s office, “Several weeks ago, a conversation took place between President Herzog and a representative on behalf of Trump, who inquired about the American president’s letter. He was given an explanation of the stage the request is currently at, and that a decision on the matter would be made in accordance with the established procedures.”
The statement emphasized that this explanation mirrored what Herzog had already told the Israeli public.
Trump has been outspoken in his support of Netanyahu, both during and after his presidency. In October, while addressing Israel’s Knesset, Trump publicly urged Herzog to issue a pardon, brushing aside the allegations against Netanyahu as politically motivated. “I have an idea, why don’t you give Netanyahu a pardon?” Trump said at the time. “Who cares about cigars and champagne?”
Netanyahu’s legal troubles stem from several ongoing cases. He has been charged with unlawfully accepting gifts—including cigars and champagne—from wealthy associates, as well as more serious allegations involving quid pro quo arrangements. Prosecutors claim Netanyahu offered regulatory benefits to major media companies in exchange for favorable coverage, charges his supporters argue reflect judicial overreach and a politicized legal system targeting Israel’s most successful conservative leader.
Herzog, a former leader of Israel’s Labor Party, has the constitutional authority to issue pardons, though such decisions are traditionally handled cautiously and through formal procedures. While Trump formally requested a pardon in a letter sent in November, Herzog has made clear that no final decision has been reached.
