In his residence in Florida, this Monday (29), the President of the United States, Donald Trump, again made strong statements alongside the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in the fifth meeting between the two since Trump’s return to the White House, almost a year ago. Amid mutual praise, Trump suggested Netanyahu could receive a presidential pardon in his corruption trial and threatened further attacks on Iran.
December 30
2025
– 05:57
(updated at 6:21 a.m.)
Luciana RosaRFI correspondent in New York, and information from AFP
Commenting on the legal process Netanyahu is facing in Israel, Trump said he had spoken with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and believed a pardon was “on the way.” The speech provoked immediate backlash: Herzog’s office denied that any decision had been made and said the issue was still being evaluated, with no set deadline.
Benjamin Netanyahu described his meeting with the Republican as “very productive”. “We’ve never had a friend like President Trump in the White House,” he said.
“It may be very difficult,” but Israel “might not even exist” without the leadership demonstrated by Netanyahu after the unprecedented Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, Trump praised.
Trump toughens his speech against Iran
The president said the United States could launch new attacks if Tehran tries to rebuild its nuclear program or expand its long-range missile capabilities. According to Trump, if new activities are confirmed, “the consequences will be very powerful, perhaps even stronger than the last time.” Trump’s warning to Tehran, Israel’s declared enemy, comes six months after US attacks on its nuclear program.
Iran, in turn, insists it is not enriching uranium and says it remains open to diplomatic negotiations. A close friend of the Iranian supreme leader immediately reacted, declaring that “any aggression” against his country would be “immediately followed by a very severe response”. “Iran’s ballistic and defense capabilities cannot be contained” and require “no authorization,” Ali Shamkhani wrote on the X network.
Conflict in the Gaza Strip
The topic was also linked to discussions on Gaza. Trump said he wanted to move quickly to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, but again defended the disarmament of the Palestinian group as a central condition. The agreement, negotiated by the United States, faces difficulties and disagreements between Israel, Arab countries and the American administration itself.
Washington wants to accelerate the implementation of the fragile ceasefire plan, in force since October in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, who accuse each other of frequent violations.
Trump to receive Israel Prize
On a symbolic level, the Israeli government announced that Trump would receive the Israel Prize, traditionally awarded to Israeli citizens for their contributions to the arts and sciences.
Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch noted the unprecedented nature of the decision and said it would be the first time the honor would be bestowed on a foreign head of state, in recognition of what he called an “outstanding contribution to the Jewish people.”
Analysts point out that, despite the publicly displayed tone of total alignment, differences persist between Trump and Netanyahu on sensitive issues, such as the future of the West Bank, Turkey’s role in Gaza after the war and the situation in Syria. Still, for Netanyahu, the image of explicit support from the U.S. president can carry domestic political weight, especially given the legal and electoral pressures he faces in Israel.
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