Donald Trump’s political intervention abroad took a sharper turn this week as the former US president personally urged Israeli president Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who remains embroiled in three ongoing corruption trials.

Trump’s written request, confirmed by sources familiar with the correspondence, adds a new layer of political friction to an already volatile moment in Israeli politics. While Herzog does have the constitutional authority to pardon convicted individuals under certain circumstances, Netanyahu has not been convicted. His trials, involving allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, remain ongoing, making a pardon legally unprecedented and politically explosive.

The backdrop is shifting rapidly. The Guardian reports that Ron Dermer, Netanyahu’s longtime confidant and strategic affairs minister, has resigned, leaving one of the prime minister’s closest allies outside the cabinet at a precarious time for his government. Netanyahu, who has consistently denied all allegations, continues to fight the cases in court while also navigating internal coalition tensions and international scrutiny.

Trump’s direct appeal to Herzog raises questions about foreign political influence and the boundaries of international diplomacy. It also reflects Trump’s deep personal and political alignment with Netanyahu, which intensified during his presidency and continues to shape his rhetoric on Middle Eastern affairs.

Analysts say the request is symbolic in the short term but signals Trump’s intention to remain an active voice in global political narratives that intersect with his own alliances. For Israel, the moment underscores the fragility of its political landscape, where legal proceedings, coalition instability, and external pressures continue to collide.

As Herzog considers his position, legal experts note that pardoning an individual before a verdict would be unprecedented and would likely trigger fierce debate over judicial independence. Politically, the optics are even more charged, with critics arguing that messaging from abroad risks undermining trust in Israel’s institutions.

The larger question facing Israel is not only whether a pardon could occur, but what such a move would signal about accountability, governance, and the increasingly blurred lines between domestic politics and external pressure.