Trump Condemns Netanyahu Corruption Trial, Calls It a ‘Political Witch Hunt’

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly criticized the ongoing corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declaring that the United States will not tolerate what he described as a “political witch hunt” against a key U.S. ally.

In a statement posted Saturday on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, “The United States of America spends Billions of Dollars a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this.” He referred to Netanyahu as a “War Hero” and argued that the trial was a distraction from critical security matters involving Iran and Hamas.

Trump’s remarks came just one day after an Israeli court rejected Netanyahu’s request to postpone his testimony in a long-running corruption case. The court ruled that the prime minister had failed to present a sufficient reason to delay the proceedings.

Netanyahu faces charges in three separate cases. In one, he and his wife Sara are accused of accepting gifts worth more than $260,000—including cigars, champagne, and jewelry—from wealthy associates in exchange for political favors. In the other two, Netanyahu is alleged to have sought favorable media coverage from two Israeli news outlets in return for regulatory benefits.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the charges are politically motivated. His legal team had asked to delay hearings, arguing that the prime minister must focus on urgent national security concerns.

Trump, who has long been an outspoken supporter of Netanyahu, reiterated his defense of the Israeli leader and compared Netanyahu’s legal troubles to his own. “It is a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT, very similar to the Witch Hunt that I was forced to endure,” Trump wrote.

Trump was convicted in May 2024 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments made during his first presidential campaign. He is also facing federal cases tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 U.S. election results.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, remains at the helm of Israel’s government as it continues military operations in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault, during which 251 hostages were taken. Israel believes 49 hostages remain in Gaza, including 27 who are presumed dead.

Trump claimed that Netanyahu’s trial would interfere with negotiations involving both Hamas and Iran, though he did not elaborate on the status or nature of those talks. Hostage negotiations are ongoing, as is Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

The comments from the U.S. president are likely to inflame ongoing debates in Israel over judicial independence and the intersection of politics and law at a time of deep national crisis.