US President Donald Trump demanded Thursday that President Isaac Herzog immediately pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling Herzog a “disgrace,” his latest heated intervention on behalf of the prime minister in his corruption trial.
Herzog’s office responded that his decision on a pardon will be made without external input.
Trump’s comments to Axios by phone were part of his latest round of interviews during the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. He also said Thursday that he needs to be involved personally in selecting Iran’s next leader, and voiced support for a Kurdish offensive against Iran.
Trump told Axios that Herzog must give Netanyahu a pardon “today,” explaining that he doesn’t want Netanyahu to be bothered by any issue other than the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against the Iranian regime.
The US president claimed he’s raised the matter with the Israeli president for a year, and that Herzog promised him five times that he would pardon Netanyahu. Trump added that he is refusing to meet Herzog until he gives Netanyahu a pardon. There have been no reported efforts by Herzog to meet with Trump.
Trump claimed Herzog has been holding the issue over Netanyahu’s head for a year, even though Netanyahu only requested a pardon in November.
This was the second time Trump has attacked Herzog in less than a month, after he said in February that Herzog “should be ashamed of himself” for not granting a pardon to Netanyahu, who is standing trial for alleged bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
Trump also asked Herzog to pardon Netanyahu when addressing the Knesset in October.
In response to Trump’s comments on Thursday, the President’s Residence issued a statement praising the US president, but stressing Herzog’s prerogative to decide for himself on whether to grant Netanyahu a pardon.
“President Herzog greatly respects and appreciates the tremendous contribution of Donald Trump to Israel’s security. He views him as the leader of the free world, a central ally of Israel, and particularly values his firm stance against Iran,” the statement said.
Herzog’s office said that Israel “is a sovereign state governed by the rule of law,” and as such, the pardon request is currently being dealt with by the Justice Ministry, which will offer its legal opinion, as per the law.
“After the process is completed, the president will examine the request according to the law, the good of the country, and according to his conscience, without any influence from external or internal pressures of any kind,” his office added.
Trump has been calling for Netanyahu to be pardoned since June 2025. The Prime Minister’s Office has denied that Netanyahu asked Trump to take up the issue.
In the same interview, Trump said he needs to be personally involved in selecting Iran’s next leader, just as he was in Venezuela after the US captured its president, Nicolas Maduro, earlier this year.
Reports in recent days have said that Mojtaba Khamenei has been tapped as a likely successor to his father, supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed last Saturday, the first day of the coordinated US-Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic.
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,” Trump said.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” he added.
In a separate interview with Politico, Trump said: “The reason the father wouldn’t give it to the son is they say he’s incompetent.”
He also told Politico, “I’m going to have a big impact [over Iran’s future leadership], or they’re not going to have any settlement, because we’re not going to have to go do this again.”
“We’ll work with the people and the regime to make sure that somebody gets there that can nicely build Iran but without nuclear weapons,” he said.
Trump’s comments appeared to undercut US claims that the goal of the war in Iran is not regime change.
To Reuters, meanwhile, Trump said he’d welcome Kurdish opposition groups launching an offensive against the Iranian regime, after recent reports that the US has been backing such an effort.
“I think it’s wonderful that they want to do that, I’d be all for it,” the president said.
When asked if the US would provide or had offered air cover, he responded, “I can’t tell you that,” but added that the objective for the Kurds would be “to win.”
“If they’re going to do that, that’s good,” Trump added.
Trump also signaled confidence that the major shipping route near Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, will remain open.
“They have no navy, you know the navy is now at the bottom of the sea,” he said. “I’m watching Hormuz very closely.”
Read more on The Times of Israel
