Trump says Netanyahu should be pardoned for corruption

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February 12, 2026 2:51 PM EST

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon arrival for meetings at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., December 29, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - U.S. ‌President Donald ​Trump ​said on Thursday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should receive a pardon for corruption charges, saying Israeli President ‌Isaac Herzog should be "ashamed of himself" for not granting ⁠one.

Here are the details:

* Trump said Netanyahu has been a great wartime ‌primeminister and that the Israeli ‌people should shame Herzog for notpardoning him. "He's disgraceful for not giving it. He shouldgive it," Trump said during a White ​House event. * Netanyahu met Trump in Washington on Wednesday - theseventh meeting between the two leaders since Trump took officelast year - for ⁠talks about reaching a deal on Iran's nuclearprogram and its ballistic missiles. * Netanyahu is ​Israel's first sitting prime minister to becharged with a crime and denies bribery, fraud and breach oftrust ​charges dating back to his 2019 ‌indictment. * Trump has publicly urged the Israeli president to pardonNetanyahu several times, and said in late December ⁠that Herzoghad told him the pardon was on its way. Herzog's office wasquick to dispute it. * Under Israeli law, the president has the ⁠authority topardon convicts. But there is no precedent for issuing a pardonmid-trial. * In ​response to queries about Trump's comment, Herzog'soffice said Netanyahu’s request was under review at the IsraeliMinistry of Justice for a legal opinion, and once that ‌processwas completed, Herzog would consider the request. * "Israel is a sovereign state governed by the rule oflaw. ‌Contrary to the impression created by President Trump’sremarks, President Herzog has ⁠not yet made any ‌decision on thismatter," Herzog's ​office said.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose, Bo Erickson, Bhargav Acharya and Steven Scheer; Editing by Katharine Jackson and ‌Caitlin Webber)


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