US President Donald Trump said that President Isaac Herzog would become a "national hero" if he granted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the presidential pardon, Axios reported on Wednesday.
Netanyahu reportedly raised his corruption trial as part of the topics discussed with Trump on Tuesday night and told him that he'd be back in court on Wednesday.
Trump reacted with surprise to the trial resuming, according to the report, saying, "In the middle of a war? Give me a break."
The Axios report also clarified that it was Trump who raised the topic of the presidential pardon during the interview.
The report also mentions that Trump seems to be shifting his approach towards Herzog, from an aggressive stance to a "softer approach."
"I like the guy, Herzog," Trump reportedly told Axios. "He will be a national hero if he gives Bibi a pardon. I will very much appreciate it."
"Bibi is a wartime prime minister. He can't have this hanging over his head," Trump added, saying that the situation makes "Israel look bad" and dismissing the whole case as "just wine and cigars."
Netanyahu 'frequently' speaks with Trump
Earlier on Wednesday, the Prime Minister's office issued a statement saying that Netanyahu "frequently" speaks with his "friend President Trump."
The statement came after Israeli reports suggested that the Prime Minister had a trip to Washington on his schedule, which the PMO also denied.