Trump Calls on President Herzog to Grant Netanyahu Clemency — Experts: Impossible Before Conviction

A new political and legal controversy erupted in Israel today (Wednesday) after President Yitzhak Herzog confirmed that he had received a letter from former U.S. President Donald Trump urging him to grant clemency to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu quickly responded on social media, thanking Trump for his “amazing support.”

“As always, you get straight to the point and tell it like it is,” Netanyahu tweeted. “I look forward to continuing our partnership to strengthen security and expand peace.”

In his letter, Trump described Netanyahu as “an impressive and determined prime minister in a time of war, now leading Israel into a time of peace.”

However, Herzog’s office swiftly clarified that a pardon could not be granted at this stage:

“Anyone interested in receiving a pardon must submit an application in accordance with the law,” the statement said, emphasizing that the president cannot act unilaterally and that clemency applies only to those already convicted and sentenced.

Political Pressure Mounts

The request comes amid a growing campaign by ministers and political allies urging the president to pardon Netanyahu.
Analysts say Netanyahu faces three personal and legal challenges in the coming months:

1. His ongoing corruption trial and fear of conviction;

2. International arrest warrants restricting his travel;

3. The expected formation of a state investigative committee that may issue personal findings against him.

With polls indicating a possible loss of power, observers believe Netanyahu may seek to resolve these crises before the next election.

Herzog’s Ambiguous Position on Clemency

President Herzog has not ruled out the idea of clemency for elected officials under investigation. While he has previously called for “healing national rifts”, critics say he has shown leniency toward high-profile offenders.

Earlier this week, Herzog approved an early parole eligibility review for former Deputy Minister Faina Kirschenbaum, serving seven and a half years for bribery and fraud. He is also reportedly considering requests to commute the sentence of Ami Popper, convicted of murdering seven Palestinians — a move described as an attempt to “balance” recent Palestinian prisoner releases.

In Netanyahu’s case, Herzog has privately expressed that the trial “divides the nation and drains public resources”, according to reports. Haaretz previously revealed that Herzog even discussed the idea of a pardon with families of hostages — a claim his office confirmed, though it said the discussions were initiated by others.

“A Pardon Before Conviction Is Not Possible”

Legal experts swiftly pushed back against Trump’s intervention. Attorney Tomer Naor, deputy legal director of the Movement for Quality Government, cited the Basic Law: The President of the State, explaining that only a convicted person can receive a presidential pardon.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu currently holds the unflattering title of defendant, who has not yet been convicted and is presumed innocent,” Naor said. “Therefore, at this time, it is not possible to grant a pardon.”

Naor added that the only precedent for a pardon before conviction occurred in the Kav 300 affair of 1986, when President Chaim Herzog (the current president’s father) pardoned Shin Bet agents before trial. Even then, the Supreme Court narrowly upheld the decision, calling it “an exceptional case of exceptions.”

“If Prime Minister Netanyahu wishes to receive a pardon,” Naor concluded, “he must first admit guilt, be convicted in court, and only then petition the president under the law.”

Mediation Attempts and Past Controversies

Since taking office in 2021, Herzog has repeatedly denied rumors of a secret deal to grant Netanyahu amnesty in exchange for political support for his presidential bid.

“I am not a servant of Netanyahu,” Herzog told Haaretz last year. “If there is an opportunity for a plea bargain or mediation that calms the nation, it should be considered — but that is not an agreement between us.”

In April, Herzog confirmed he had contacted Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to explore possible mediation between her and Netanyahu, after the court suggested compromise talks four times. “It might be time to discuss the Netanyahu case as part of lowering national tensions,” he said at the time.

Analysis: Clemency Debate Reflects a Nation Divided

Trump’s intervention has thrust the issue of Netanyahu’s legal fate back into Israel’s political spotlight.
While Herzog publicly seeks to “heal divisions”, any move toward leniency for Netanyahu — even symbolically — could inflame public outrage and deepen mistrust in the justice system.

As the trial continues and elections loom, the question of whether Israel’s president might one day pardon a sitting prime minister remains both legally complex and politically explosive.