Donald Trump is threatening to withhold U.S. funding for Israel—unless the nation lets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walk away from his corruption charges.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social Saturday, the U.S. president lamented that the Israeli leader should have to “be forced to sit in a courtroom all day long” while the country is simultaneously attacking Iran and Palestine.
“It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu. He is a War Hero, and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran,” Trump wrote. “Importantly, he is right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back. How is it possible that the Prime Minister of Israel can be forced to sit in a Courtroom all day long, over NOTHING (Cigars, Bugs Bunny Doll, etc.).”
Netanyahu is accused of requesting and/or demanding regularly delivered expensive gifts from the world’s financial elite, including Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer, the latter of whom moved into a property bordering Mar-a-Lago in March that was believed to be previously owned by Trump.
“It is a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT, very similar to the Witch Hunt that I was forced to endure,” Trump continued. “This travesty of ‘Justice’ will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations. In other words, it is INSANITY doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu.”
“The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this. We just had a Great Victory with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the helm—And this greatly tarnishes our Victory. LET BIBI GO, HE’S GOT A BIG JOB TO DO!” Trump said.
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The trial began the following year, and has split into three criminal cases. In 2021, amidst widespread protests against Netanyahu’s leadership over the corruption charges, the Israeli prime minister lost his seat to a new coalition government. He subsequently returned to power the following year, fronting the most far-right and religiously conservative government in the nation’s history.
By March, polling within the country suggested that the vast majority of Israelis “don’t trust” Netanyahu’s government—roughly 70 percent—including his own supporters.
But last week, the U.S. president got involved, apparently sympathizing with the unpopular leader by insisting that Bibi’s trial should be “CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY.”
Netanyahu appeared to appreciate the sentiment, thanking Trump at the time “for your moving support for me and your tremendous support for Israel.” But other Israeli politicians didn’t take kindly to the intervention: Opposition leader Yair Lapid said that Trump should not “intervene in a legal process of an independent state.”
Trump’s casual disregard for the rule of law should come as no surprise considering his own history facing the court system. Trump has been sued countless times, but has grabbed the national spotlight over the last few years when he was found liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll, when he was convicted as a felon for falsifying records to hide hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, when he was ordered to pay out hundreds of millions for defrauding U.S. banks, and when he was charged and indicted in connection to two separate conspiracies to unroot the result of the 2020 presidential election. Those all dramatically came to a close when Trump was inaugurated on January 20.
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