Herzog Asserts Independence on Netanyahu Pardon Ahead of High-Stakes Trump Summit

JERUSALEM — President Isaac Herzog’s office issued a pointed clarification Monday, explicitly stating there has been no communication with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal fate since a formal pardon request was filed several weeks ago.

The denial arrives at a volatile moment, just days before Netanyahu is scheduled to meet President Trump at the White House on December 29. The statement appears calculated to assert the independence of Israel’s judicial review process, countering rumors that Netanyahu’s current diplomatic trip is a veiled attempt to leverage U.S. executive pressure to secure clemency before the year ends.

The Pardon Standoff The controversy stems from a formal request filed by Netanyahu in late November 2025 to terminate his nearly six-year corruption trial. While the Prime Minister argues a pardon is essential to "heal the nation" and stabilize post-war governance, opposition leaders have decried the move as an evasion of accountability.

President Trump has previously made his position clear, breaking diplomatic convention to interject in the domestic dispute. Following a pro-pardon speech at the Knesset in October 2025, Trump sent a formal letter to Herzog on November 12, characterizing the prosecution as "political and unjustified lawfare."

The December 29 Catalyst Herzog’s statement Monday signals that despite the looming summit, no active back-channel negotiations are underway. Herzog emphasized that the request remains under review by the Justice Ministry’s pardons department and will adhere to "established procedures" rather than diplomatic or political timelines.

However, the lack of private dialogue raises the stakes for the public portion of the December 29 meeting. Analysts are closely monitoring the upcoming joint appearance to see if President Trump bypasses protocol to reiterate his position verbally. With the 2025 calendar year closing just 48 hours after the summit, any public invocation of the word "pardon" by the U.S. President would represent a significant escalation of pressure on the Israeli Presidency.