Trump Should Keep His Nose Out of Israel’s Legal System  

New services reported today that, following his remarks on the topic during his recent visit here and again in a n interview last week on the US TV show “60 Minutes,” President Trump sent a letter to Israeli President Herzog requesting a full pardon for Prime Minister Netanyahu in his corruption trial. President Herzog’s office has confirmed receipt of said letter.

Correctly and observing proper protocol, Herzog, for his part, responded to the letter, with his office noting that a formal request for a pardon must be submitted: “Alongside and not withstanding this, as the Office of the President has made clear throughout, anyone seeking a Presidential pardon must submit a formal request in accordance with the established procedures.”

President Trump, of course, has a colorful history when it comes to pardons as is well known. On January 20, 2025, immediately after taking office a second time, he granted clemency to every criminal defendant charged, convicted, or sentenced for participation in the January 6^th US Capitol attack, approximately 1,500 defendants. Trump commuted the sentences of 14 people by name (members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who were convicted of seditious conspiracy) and gave “a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the Capitol on that now famous day.  Those pardoned included the people convicted of plotting the attack, as well as those who allegedly attacked police on January 6^th.

In addition, since his inauguration in January, Trump has granted clemency to 73 other individuals, all of whom had been previously convicted in US courts for breaking the law or were awaiting trial on criminal charges.

Of course, how the President of the United States decides to override the US justice system is his business and it is the responsibility of citizens there to object if they find these actions symbolic of the President misusing his pardon authority. But he has absolutely no right whatsoever to arrogate unto himself the role of adjudicator inside Israel’s legal system.

We here have a strong record of holding our elected officials to account having, in our lifetimes, seen a Prime Minister, a President and more than one senior government official sentenced for breach of public trust and incarcerated as punishment. As such we do not have to justify or apologize for the actions of our courts nor do our processes need modulation by the head of any other nation.

The courts will decide if the Prime Minister is guilty or not and will inflict punishment if the charges are proven to be true. But none of that is the business of the US President, no matter how many good things he may have done for this country. Taking diplomatic decisions which are in the interests of both countries is the way the system is supposed to work but does not give agency to the leader of either country to butt in to the internal affairs of the nation that received said benefits. It is the height of chutzpah to attempt to do so and President Herzog’s response was spot on.