Washington D.C. on June 26, 2025.
Former US President Donald Trump issued a strong defense of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the ongoing corruption trial that has gripped Israeli politics, calling the accusations against the longtime leader “a political witch hunt”. Trump made headlines just the previous day for harshly criticizing Israel during a campaign rally rally.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in New York, Donald Trump appeared to change course, offering strong support for Benjamin Netanyahu despite previous charges of showing “weakness and disloyalty” towards America in its handling of Gaza conflict and regional diplomacy.
Trump spoke out in defense of Netanyahu, using his nickname to refer to him. Trump claimed the charges levelled against Netanyahu are political; similar allegations had been levied against him as they attempted to do with himself and me. Strong conservative leaders are increasingly being targeted by their own systems and that pattern can only continue.
Netanyahu is facing multiple counts of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases, including receiving lavish gifts from billionaires as well as offering regulatory favors in exchange for favorable media coverage. He denies all accusations and maintains they are politically motivated attempts at his removal from power.
Donald Trump’s comments have caused widespread alarm due to their timing and striking contrast to comments he made only 24 hours earlier at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, in which he accused Israel of failing to support American interests and criticized its military restraint during recent operations.
“Israel needs to get its act together,” President Donald Trump stated Tuesday night. “They have been weak when strength was required, and frankly have not been an ally that we expected. It is deeply disappointing.”
That response drew sharp condemnation from pro-Israel groups and raised eyebrows among U.S. foreign policy analysts who observed Trump’s increasingly unpredictable rhetoric on international affairs.
On Wednesday, however, Trump took an opposite tack and cast Netanyahu as an icon of resistance against what he called “deep state tactics” used by legal systems against right-wing leaders worldwide.
“Bibi is standing up against an unjust system, just as I did,” Trump commented. “They want to silence him because of his strength and effectiveness; we’ve seen this film before.”
Political observers believe President Donald Trump may be shifting tone in order to appease his evangelical and pro-Israel base, who may have become unnerved after some recent critical comments he has made. Last year during his presidency, Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city by moving the U.S. embassy there–an action which was widely welcomed by Prime Minister Netanyahu and his followers.
David Netanyahu’s trial, now entering its fourth year in Israel, remains at the forefront of headlines and has generated vastly differing public sentiment. Some view him as the victim of overreach while others consider the legal proceedings necessary steps towards upholding rule of law.
Trump’s defense of Netanyahu will likely spark discussions in both countries about where the line lies between judicial accountability and political persecution–especially when spoken from the campaign trail of a former U.S. president.