‘Let Bibi go,’ ‘Make the deal in Gaza’: Trump renews Israel demands in social media posts
Trump said he believed the prosecution of Israel’s prime minister was interfering with a hostage deal
President Donald J. Trump meets with business leaders at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on May 15, 2025, in Doha, Qatar. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images
(JTA) — Three days after first lashing out against the prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism — and added the suggestion that Netanyahu’s trial could impede a hostage deal.
“It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump posted late Saturday on Truth Social, his social media platform.
“He is a War Hero, and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran. Importantly, he is right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back,” Trump wrote, adding, “This travesty of ‘Justice’ will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations.”
Trump noted that the United States sends billions of dollars annually to Israel before concluding, “We are not going to stand for this. We just had a Great Victory with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the helm — And this greatly tarnishes our Victory. LET BIBI GO, HE’S GOT A BIG JOB TO DO!”
The prospect of a deal to release the remaining hostages in Gaza was still on Trump’s mind several hours later when he posted an all-caps message: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! DJT.”
The messages come in the wake of Trump’s successful effort to force a ceasefire in a 12-day war between Israel and Iran, in which the United States made an unusual intervention by dropping bombs on Iranian nuclear sites. Trump has said he believes a deal to free the 50 remaining Israeli hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023, could come within the week.
Trump’s call to end Netanyahu’s prosecution represents an unusual intervention by a U.S. president in another country’s domestic functioning. Netanyahu has been embroiled in the trial since May 2020, and currently faces three charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. In December, when he took the stand, Netanyahu denied the allegations and referred to the trial as a “witch hunt,” the same language Trump used in both posts criticizing the prosecution.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
