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Sadik Hossain

Not going to stand for this: Donald Trump threatening to abandon Israel unless Netanyahu gets special treatment

President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off billions of dollars in aid to Israel if corruption charges against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are not dropped. The president made these statements in a post on Truth Social over the weekend, marking the second time in recent days he has spoken out against Netanyahu’s ongoing trial.

Trump called the legal proceedings against Netanyahu a ‘political witch hunt’ and compared them to his own legal troubles. He described the charges as being about minor items like cigars and a Bugs Bunny doll, dismissing them as insignificant. The president argued that forcing Netanyahu to spend time in court would hurt negotiations with Iran and Hamas.

“The United States of America spends billions of dollars a year, far more than on any other nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this,” Trump wrote in his Truth Social post. He warned that the corruption trial would damage what he called a “great victory” achieved with Netanyahu’s leadership.

Trump demands charges be dropped immediately

The president made it clear that he wants the Israeli legal system to end its case against Netanyahu. Trump wrote that the prime minister has “a big job to do” and should be freed from the court proceedings. He used the phrase “LET BIBI GO” in all capital letters to emphasize his demand.

Netanyahu faces three separate corruption cases in Israeli courts. The charges involve accusations that he gave favors to business people in exchange for expensive gifts and positive media coverage. These are serious allegations that the Israeli justice system is working through according to its legal processes.

After Trump’s post, Netanyahu shared it on his own social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter. The Israeli prime minister thanked Trump and wrote that together they would “make the Middle East Great Again,” using language similar to Trump’s campaign slogan. This public exchange shows the close relationship between the two leaders.

Trump’s threat to withhold aid represents a significant shift in how the United States might handle its relationship with Israel. The U.S. provides Israel with billions of dollars in military and other assistance each year, making it one of America’s largest aid recipients. Using this financial support as pressure for domestic legal matters would be an unusual step in international relations.

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