President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran must reach a deal with the U.S. � and suggested an agreement could come within weeks � while also escalating his public defense of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and attacking Israel�s president over his refusal to grant a pardon.

�We have to make a deal, otherwise it�s going to be very traumatic, very traumatic,� Trump told reporters at the White House. He added that he believes an agreement could be reached within the next month.

Trump also focused on Netanyahu�s ongoing corruption trial, urging President Isaac Herzog to intervene.

�I think the people of Israel should really shame him. He�s disgraceful for not giving it,� Trump said, referring to a pardon. �You have a president that refused to give him a pardon� He should be ashamed of himself.�

Trump claimed Herzog was withholding a pardon to preserve his own authority. �The primary power he�s got is to give pardons, and he�s not,� Trump said, without offering evidence.

Asked whether Netanyahu bore responsibility for security failures ahead of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, Trump responded, �I guess everybody�s responsible,� before describing the assault by Hamas as a �sneak attack� that �nobody else would have seen coming.�

He then praised Netanyahu as �a very good wartime prime minister,� pointing to their past cooperation against Iran.

Trump�s comments revive a dispute that surfaced in December, when he claimed Herzog had promised a pardon was �on its way.� Herzog publicly denied the claim, saying no such discussion had taken place and no decision had been made.

Herzog�s office later confirmed that his staff had spoken with a Trump representative about a formal pardon request, but said any decision would follow established legal procedures.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)