An Israeli court has postponed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s testimony in his ongoing corruption trial, following a request backed by none other than U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Jerusalem District Court’s decision, published Sunday, came after Netanyahu’s legal team argued that he needed to fully focus on pressing national security matters, including the fragile ceasefire with Iran and continued military operations in Gaza.
“Following the explanations given… we partially accept the request and cancel at this stage Mr. Netanyahu’s hearings scheduled” for this week, the court said in its official ruling, which was released online by Netanyahu’s Likud party.
Netanyahu’s attorneys had initially requested a two-week delay, citing his demanding security schedule and the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where Israeli hostages are still being held. They submitted the prime minister’s calendar as evidence of the “national need” for him to be fully available to manage political and military developments.
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The court, which initially rejected the delay, ultimately reversed its decision after reviewing arguments from Netanyahu himself, as well as Israel’s top intelligence officials, including the head of military intelligence and the chief of Mossad.
U.S. President Donald Trump has also inserted himself into the proceedings, calling the trial a “witch hunt” and urging for its immediate cancellation or for Netanyahu to be pardoned. “This trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
On Saturday, he doubled down, saying the United States was “not going to stand” for the continued prosecution of Netanyahu. The Israeli leader later expressed gratitude to Trump in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
However, Trump’s intervention has sparked criticism within Israel. Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded by warning against foreign interference in the country’s independent judicial process. “He should not interfere in a judicial trial in an independent country,” Lapid said on Thursday.
Netanyahu, who returned to power in late 2022, is facing multiple corruption charges. In one case, he and his wife, Sara, are accused of receiving over $260,000 worth of luxury gifts — including cigars, champagne, and jewelry — from wealthy associates in exchange for political favors. Two additional cases involve alleged efforts to secure favorable media coverage in return for regulatory benefits.
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