- Jerusalem & Washington
Donald Trump made headlines this week by intervening directly into Israel’s legal proceedings, demanding either cancellation or pardon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial. Legal experts and opposition figures in Israel considered his intervention unprecedented and warned it poses a risk to their sovereignty and independence as an independent legal system.
On June 25th, Donald Trump used Truth Social to condemn three criminal cases brought against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, labelling it an unnecessary “ridiculous witch hunt.” Trump further demanded that Israel’s judiciary either drop all charges or grant him full pardon–lauding him as both “war hero” and key player in regional security efforts (aljazeera.com/warhero and theguardian/pardon).
He suggested that U.S. military aid – valued at an estimated annual amount of nearly $3.8 billion – may be compromised if the trial goes forward, suggesting Washington may tie their financial support directly to what happens at trial for Israel’s leader, Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump wrote “We will not stand for this,” directly linking Washington’s financial assistance with Israel’s legal fate as its leader and legal outcomes for Washington’s financial support for him (reuters.com, 2017).
Backlash and Consequences
Trump’s remarks provoked immediate backlash across Israel, with former Prime Minister Yair Lapid issuing an angry condemnation of this move by President Trump: he should “not interfere in an independent country’s legal proceedings”. These criticisms can be found at The Guardian (with some), Al Jazeera English (aljazeera.com) and Financial Times.
Legal scholars and democracy advocates have voiced concern over what they perceive to be foreign interference with Israel’s judiciary – an interference which they claim has no historical precedent, according to The Arab Weekly (tarabweekly.com).
After listening to Trump’s statements, the Jerusalem District Court agreed to postpone Prime Minister Netanyahu’s testimony for national security reasons due to ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel, as well as recent conflicts between Iran and Israel (welt.de, times.co.uk, NewYorkPost.com and NYPost all reported this decision).
Critics believe external political pressure may have had an influence in postponing this case despite assurances by judges to remain impartial (The Daily Beast).
At Trump’s public thanks and support for Netanyahu’s trial proceedings, Netanyahu thanked the president publicly while repeating that this process would hinder his leadership role on crucial foreign policy matters (The Times.co.uk/reuters.com +3 Its NY Post +3)
Trump’s influence over Israel can be seen through several lenses: previously he sanctioned the International Criminal Court for issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials such as Prime Minister Netanyahu; as well as criticizing foreign judicial bodies. Now his efforts to undermine its legal process can only add further depth.
Analysts warn of International and Domestic Concerns Its Analysts fear Trump’s statements threaten the delicate separation of powers which forms the cornerstone of democratic governance in Israel, including its separation of powers based on separation of powers laws. One Jerusalem legal expert described Trump’s statements as crossing a “red line.” Additionally, this incident reignited debates on judicial independence following Israel’s 2023 reforms which have already strain public trust for the judiciary (The Times.co.uk/axios.com/2023-reforms/) (The Times/axios/timesofisrael/). For more details read The Times/axios/15
Domestically, Israel’s conservative coalition–composed of hardliners–welcomed Trump’s support while opposition figures advocated limited foreign involvement. Public opinion remains divided over whether American influence helps or harms Israel’s institutions.
What Lies Ahead
Only Israel’s Attorney-General and President can stop or grant a pardon; neither are likely to do so, according to officials (ft.com/v/2), although neither have done so in recent history (axios.com/2 ; economictimes/indiatimes /2).
However, Trump’s remarks have altered political and legal dynamics and could impact future judicial delays.
Short term, the trial has been put on pause but larger questions arise about its effect: will this foreign intervention set a lasting precedent in Israel’s judicial affairs? Ultimately, this episode reflects tensions between U.S. political influence and democratic justice abroad.