Trump Asked for Pardon for Unconvicted Netanyahu. What's Next, Pardons for Thoughts?
According to the NYT, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog revealed that Donald Trump pressured him to pardon Benjamin Netanyahu. Mind you, Netanyahu hasn't been convicted of anything yet. This isn't about judicial mercy for an offender; it's about preemptive impunity for a political ally currently facing corruption charges. (Maybe Trump thought it was an early bird special on pardons?) This isn't
unprecedented for Trump, who infamously used his pardon power to reward loyalists and undermine legal processes. The fact that an American president would solicit international interference to shield a foreign leader from future legal consequences—a leader whose government receives billions in US aid annually—raises questions about the very concept of sovereign justice. One might wonder if the US
gives money for military might or for diplomatic 'get out of jail free' cards.