Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog is seeking clarification from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid growing speculation that the premier may have played a role in prompting a public rebuke from U.S. President Donald Trump over Herzog’s refusal to grant him a pardon.

According to a report by Channel 12 News, Herzog’s office has privately questioned whether Netanyahu encouraged Trump to intervene after the president declined to pardon the prime minister, who is standing trial on charges of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust.

On Thursday, Trump publicly attacked Herzog, calling him “disgraceful” and saying he should be “ashamed of himself” for not issuing a pardon. The remarks came just one day after Trump hosted Netanyahu at the White House, fueling speculation in Jerusalem that the issue was raised during their meeting.

A source close to Herzog told Channel 12 that the president was caught off guard by Trump’s comments and is now demanding clarity from Netanyahu.

“If Netanyahu had a hand in this, it is a red line that has been crossed,” the source said. “We expect clarification on the part of the prime minister.”

Herzog, the source said, viewed the statement as a blow not only to his office but to “the sovereign status of the State of Israel,” suggesting unease over what some officials see as foreign involvement in sensitive domestic legal matters.

Under Israeli law, the president holds the authority to grant pardons, typically following legal recommendations and established procedures. Herzog has so far resisted calls from Netanyahu’s allies to intervene in the case, arguing that doing so could undermine judicial independence.

For Netanyahu, the controversy lands at a delicate moment. His ongoing trial remains a defining issue of his premiership, shaping both coalition dynamics and his international standing.

Any perception that he encouraged a foreign leader to pressure Israel’s president could deepen domestic criticism and raise questions about the boundaries between diplomacy and personal legal interests.

Netanyahu’s office has denied the report.

“The prime minister learned about it from the media and had no prior knowledge of it, just as he had no prior knowledge of the president’s remarks on this issue in his speech in the Knesset,” his office said.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)