Tensions surfaced between Israel and Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly questioned why Israeli President Isaac Herzog has not issued a pardon to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, prompting sharp reactions from officials in the President’s Residence.

Sources within the Israeli President’s office said they were taken aback and angered by Trump’s comments. According to those officials, Trump stated that Herzog possesses the authority to pardon the prime minister but has opted not to exercise it, characterizing that decision as both embarrassing and lacking justification.

Individuals in the president’s circle further raised the possibility that Netanyahu himself may have encouraged Trump to weigh in, echoing suggestions that surfaced when Trump initially raised the matter. Senior aides told Channel 12 News that throughout the weekend the president and his advisers sought to clarify who may have spurred Trump to address Israel’s head of state in this way. They signaled that if Netanyahu had any involvement in prompting such public pressure, it would cross well-established lines, and they would demand clarification from the prime minister.

According to those aides, the statements were interpreted not merely as a personal slight against President Herzog, but as a challenge to Israel’s independence and its status as a sovereign nation.

In a formal statement, the President’s office underscored that any appeal for a pardon must, under standard protocol, first be reviewed by the Ministry of Justice, which provides a legal assessment. Only after that step is completed does the president consider the issue, weighing the law, the good of the country, and his own judgment, free from outside or domestic coercion.

The statement added that President Herzog maintains deep respect for President Trump, particularly regarding his record of support for Israel and its security. At the same time, it stressed that Israel functions as an independent state guided by the rule of law. The office made clear that, notwithstanding the impression created by Trump’s remarks, Herzog has not reached any determination on the matter.

Netanyahu’s staff responded: “President Trump’s statement on Sunday was made on his own initiative. Prime Minister Netanyahu heard about it in the media and did not know about it in advance, just as he did not know in advance about President Trump’s statement on this issue in his speech to the Knesset.”