Trump Claims Herzog Assured Imminent Netanyahu Pardon; Legal Obstacles Remain for 2025 Timeline

WEST PALM BEACH — President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that Israeli President Isaac Herzog has verbally assured him that a pardon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "coming," a claim that injects immediate volatility into Israeli political forecasts just 48 hours before the start of the new year.

The assertion, made following a meeting with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago regarding Gaza ceasefire implementation, contradicts previous procedural statements from the Israeli President’s Residence. While Trump suggests a diplomatic breakthrough, legal experts indicate that procedural hurdles likely preclude a formal clemency grant before the December 31 threshold.

The "Coming" Claim "He told me it is coming," Trump told reporters, referring to a private exchange with Herzog. The U.S. President has explicitly linked the pardon to the success of post-war normalization efforts, framing Netanyahu's legal battles as an impediment to regional unity.

This statement marks the peak of an aggressive pressure campaign. Following a public challenge to Herzog at the Knesset in October and a formal written request on November 12, Trump is now attempting to leverage his diplomatic capital to force a timeline that aligns with U.S. foreign policy goals rather than Israeli judicial pacing.

The Legal Disconnect Despite Trump’s confidence, an immediate pardon faces substantial barriers under Israeli law.

• Procedural Requirements: A pardon typically requires a formal request from the accused and an admission of guilt—a concession Netanyahu has refused to make regarding bribery and fraud charges in Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000.
• Herzog’s Stance: Following Trump’s November letter, Herzog’s office emphasized that a president cannot initiate a pardon based on foreign requests and must respect the independence of the judiciary.

Market Implications The discrepancy between Trump’s rhetoric and Israeli judicial procedure creates a sharp conflict. Unless a highly irregular, expedited mechanism is triggered immediately to satisfy the U.S. President, the bureaucratic process is expected to push any potential resolution into early 2026.

As of Tuesday evening, the Israeli government has not issued an official confirmation of the conversation’s content, leaving the window for a 2025 resolution rapidly closing.