U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday sharply criticized Israeli prosecutors over the ongoing corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that the United States—having provided billions in aid to Israel—should not tolerate what he called unfair legal actions.
Netanyahu, who was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust—charges he strongly denies—has been on trial since 2020 in connection with three separate criminal cases.
Tensions rose after an Israeli court on Friday denied a request by Netanyahu’s legal team to delay his testimony for two weeks due to ongoing diplomatic and security concerns following the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. Netanyahu is expected to take the stand for cross-examination on Monday.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump blasted the Israeli prosecutors, calling their actions “INSANITY” and claiming the legal proceedings could disrupt Netanyahu’s efforts to engage in critical negotiations with Hamas and Iran.
An Israeli prosecution spokesperson declined to comment on Trump’s remarks. However, Netanyahu reposted Trump’s comments on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “Thank you again, @realDonaldTrump. Together, we will make the Middle East Great Again!”
This marks Trump’s second public defense of Netanyahu in recent days. In his latest post, he linked the U.S. aid to Israel with his disapproval of the legal proceedings:
“The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar[s] a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this,” he wrote.
Trump also claimed Netanyahu was actively negotiating a deal with Hamas, though he provided no details. On Friday, he told reporters that a ceasefire might be near.
Hamas has signaled its willingness to release remaining hostages in Gaza as part of a potential agreement to end the war. Israel, however, maintains that any deal must include the full disarmament and dismantling of Hamas—conditions the group has refused to accept.
The urgency to resolve the Gaza conflict has intensified following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
