Trump implicitly hints at cutting off US aid to Israel unless Netanyahu's criminal trial is dropped.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday dramatically escalated his attacks on Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ongoing criminal trial on corruption charges, implicitly warning that annual US military aid to Israel, amounting to $3.8 billion, could be affected unless the charges are dropped.

While Trump's post on TruthSocial earlier this week represented an unprecedented intervention by a US president in the legal proceedings of a "foreign democratic ally," his reference to US military aid—long considered an "unbreakable" principle in bilateral relations—places his criticism in an unprecedented context.

"What they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu is terrible. He is a war hero and a Prime Minister who has done a fantastic job working with the United States to achieve tremendous success in eliminating the dangerous nuclear threat from Iran. Most importantly, he is currently negotiating a deal with Hamas, which includes the return of the hostages," Trump tweeted, nearly 24 hours after expressing his belief that a Gaza ceasefire/hostage release agreement could be reached within a week.

Trump added, "How is it possible that the Prime Minister of Israel is forced to sit in a courtroom all day, for no reason - for taking a cigar, a toy, etc. - it's a political witch hunt, much like the witch hunt I was forced to endure."

He continued, again comparing Netanyahu's criminal proceedings to his indictment and conviction in the United States before his 2024 election victory. Trump said, "This farce called 'justice' will hinder negotiations with both Iran and Hamas. In other words, what these out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu is insane. The United States of America spends billions of dollars a year, far more than any other country, to protect and support Israel. We will not stand for it."

Trump concluded by saying, "We achieved a great victory under the leadership of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, and this greatly tarnishes our victory." "Let Bibi go (from trial), he has a big job to do!"

It's worth noting that Trump's first posts came shortly after he criticized Netanyahu, both on the White House lawn and in a phone call immediately afterward, for jeopardizing the Trump-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran. However, in the days that followed, he did little more than praise Netanyahu.

According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to take the stand of the accused. He already holds a precedent as the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be criminally indicted. He has been charged with three separate criminal offenses: bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The three cases revolve around Netanyahu's building relationships, for personal and political gain, with wealthy, influential men who own or have had influence over major media outlets.

Trump and his supporters have previously used Israel as a political weapon against Democrats, warning that former US Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as presidential candidate Kamala Harris, would undermine US aid to Israel because of its behavior toward the Palestinians. Trump's presentation of US aid—not in relation to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but rather to a "savage campaign" targeting Netanyahu—is remarkable in itself.