Trump Confirms He Will Visit Israel to Receive Israel Prize

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed in an interview with Channel 14 that he expects to visit Israel to receive the Israel Prize during the upcoming Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem. Asked whether he plans to arrive soon to accept the award, Trump responded: “Yes, it seems so.”

The expected visit would mark a rare moment in which a U.S. president receives Israel’s highest civilian honor, elevating this year’s ceremony into a major diplomatic and symbolic event. 

Israel officially decided to award Trump the Israel Prize in a special category recognizing his contribution to Israel and the Jewish people. Trump was informed of the decision during a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida in December, when Education Minister Yoav Kisch joined by phone and told him the prize committee had reached a “historical decision” to award him the honor. Trump responded that it was a “great honor, really amazing being the first one outside of Israel,” but did not formally commit at the time. The initiative was later advanced by Kisch, who sent an official invitation to the White House approximately six weeks ago, as preparations for the ceremony were already underway.

During the same Channel 14 conversation, Trump also addressed Netanyahu’s ongoing trial, shifting the discussion from the planned visit to Israel’s internal political situation. He questioned why President Isaac Herzog had not intervened in the case, asking: “Won’t your weak president give him a pardon?” Trump claimed Herzog had previously indicated he would act, saying: “He told me many times, not just once, that he would give him a pardon, and he lied to me.” He added: “He is a weak and pathetic man. He is not a leader.”

Trump continued his criticism, calling Herzog “a weak and useless man” and accusing him of using the possibility of a pardon as leverage. “He is using the pardon issue and hanging it over Bibi’s head,” Trump said.

At the same time, Trump reiterated his support for Netanyahu, arguing that the prime minister should not be distracted by legal proceedings during wartime. “Bibi needs to focus on the war and not on nonsense,” he said. He added that Netanyahu had played a decisive role in Israel’s history, stating: “You would not have had the State of Israel if Prime Minister Netanyahu had not been in office,” and concluding: “I support Bibi.”

Netanyahu responded to Trump’s earlier remarks in a press conference about a week and a half ago, saying he had not asked the U.S. president to intervene in his legal matters. At the same time, he called on Herzog to “do the right thing” and bring the proceedings to an end.

Trump was also asked about escalating tensions with Iran and whether U.S. or Israeli forces may target the regime’s oil and gas infrastructure. He declined to provide details, saying he could not address that question at this stage.

With Trump now signaling he expects to attend, the planned Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem is shaping into a high-profile diplomatic event, as final details of the visit continue to develop.