Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Tuesday called on President Donald Trump to intervene in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial, describing the proceedings as a “farce” that he said is interfering with the prime minister’s ability to govern.

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Ben Gvir said the trial is placing an undue burden on Netanyahu and called for U.S. involvement to bring it to an end.

“I want to say one thing clearly about this farce called the Netanyahu trial: I think it’s crazy that the prime minister has to deal with meetings at night until 2 a.m.,” Ben Gvir said. “I sit there with him and then when I tell him let’s go home — he tells me no, I’m going to prepare for the trial.”

“It’s crazy, it’s not normal,” Ben Gvir added. “I hope President Trump will put an end to this farce. President Trump should intervene and put an end to this abuse of the prime minister.”

Trump has repeatedly urged Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, including during an October 2025 address to Israel’s Knesset and in a letter sent to Herzog the following month.

Speaking last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Herzog said any pardon request must follow established legal procedures.

“I have made clear numerous times that it has to go through a certain procedure,” Herzog told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. “Right now, the request has to go through the procedure of collecting various opinions by the relevant agencies in the Ministry of Justice. I cannot violate that, because of course I have to operate according to the rules.”

Herzog also emphasized Israel’s judicial independence while expressing respect for Trump.

“I respect President Trump tremendously,” Herzog said, “and of course we have our own legal system and I will operate within its bounds.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)