President Trump standing between Israeli President Isaac Herzog (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a trip to Israel in October. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Israeli President Isaac Herzog swiftly denied President Trump’s claim on Monday that he had told the U.S. president he would pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Why it matters: Trump has intervened repeatedly in Israel’s politics and judicial system by pressuring Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, who faces multiple corruption charges. He did so once again on Monday when Netanyahu arrived to meet him at Mar-a-Lago.
“I think he will,” Trump said, when asked if Netanyahu would get a pardon. “How do you not? He’s a wartime prime minister who’s a hero. How do you not give a pardon?”
“I spoke to the president, he tells me it’s on its way,” Trump added. “You can’t do better than that, right?”
According to a statement from Herzog’s office issued almost immediately afterward, that conversation never happened.
- “There has been no conversation between President Herzog and President Trump since the pardon request was submitted.”
- “Several weeks ago, a conversation took place between President Herzog and a representative on behalf of Trump, who inquired about the American president’s letter,” requesting a pardon for Netanyahu.
- “He was given an explanation of the stage the request is currently at, and that a decision on the matter would be made in accordance with the established procedures. This was explained to Trump’s representative exactly as President Herzog conveyed to the public in Israel.”
Trump was asked later on Monday if he had spoken with Herzog about a pardon and “no,” while reiterating that he believes Netanyahu should and will be pardoned.
Trump has previously compared the cases against Netanyahu to the ones he faced before winning reelection.
- Given how dependent Israel is on the U.S. militarily and diplomatically, such an overt presidential push puts Herzog in a difficult position.
Behind the scenes: Trump’s top aides have grown deeply frustrated with Netanyahu, particularly over his slow-walking of the Gaza peace process, but Trump praised the Israeli PM on Monday and said their relationship couldn’t be better.
A White House official told Axios last week that Netanyahu had “lost” the trust and support of everyone in the administration except Trump. “The only one he has left is the president, who still likes him, but even he wants to see the Gaza deal moving faster than it is right now.”
An Israeli official said Netanyahu hoped to bring Trump around to his more hawkish perspective on Gaza.
The latest: Asked after the meeting whether he felt Israel was moving too slowly on the peace plan, Trump replied: “I’m not concerned about anything that Israel is doing.”
Trump also mentioned Iran, saying “we’ll knock the hell out of them” if it is “building up again.”
U.S. and Israeli officials expected Netanyahu to make a case in the meeting for renewed military action against Iran.
Trump warns Iran
Trump warned Monday there would be “very powerful” consequences for Iran if it rebuilds its ballistic missile or nuclear weapons programs.
Why it matters: Trump made clear during a briefing at his Mar-a-Lago estate with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he wouldn’t rule out more military action against Iran.
Trump told reporters he’d read that Tehran was “building up weapons and other things” and “if they are, they’re not using the sites” U.S. forces “obliterated” during airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan in June, “but possibly different” sites.
- “I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are we’re going to have to knock them down,” Trump said.
- “We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully that’s not happening,” he continued.
- “If they are, we’re going to have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that buildup. The consequences will be very powerful. Maybe more powerful than the last time.”
- “ Iran may be behaving badly. It hasn’t been confirmed. But if it’s confirmed, look, they know the consequences.”
When asked if the U.S. would support an Israeli military strike on Iran’s missile program, Trump said: “If they will continue with the missiles, yes. The nuclear? Fast. One will be, yes, absolutely. The other was, we’ll do it immediately.”
Israeli officials warned the Trump administration earlier this month that an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps missile exercise could be preparations for a strike on Israel, per Axios’ Barak Ravid.
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