Tuesday, October 14, 2025 - In a moment of political drama, President Donald Trump, during his address to the Israeli parliament (Knesset) in Jerusalem on Monday, urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to grant a pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for corruption.
Making an unexpected detour from his prepared remarks, Trump
publicly appealed to the Israeli head of state, stating: "Hey, I have an
idea. Mr. President, why don't you give him a pardon? Cigars and some champagne
— who the hell cares?"
This comment directly referred to one of the three cases for
which Netanyahu was indicted in 2019, which alleges the prime minister and his
wife accepted luxury gifts, including nearly 700,000 shekels (approximately
$210,000) worth of cigars and champagne, from wealthy businessmen in exchange
for political favors.
The Israeli President holds the constitutional authority to
issue pardons, although the role is largely ceremonial. Netanyahu is facing
charges of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust, all of which he vehemently
denies, labeling the legal proceedings a "left-wing witch-hunt"
designed to remove a right-wing leader.
His long-running trial, which began in 2020, has seen
frequent interruptions due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war
and geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East.
Trump’s call for clemency came during a visit focused on
celebrating the U.S.-brokered Gaza peace deal and the subsequent release of all
remaining living Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
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