New York City, United States. U.S. President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be arrested while visiting the United States, following remarks by Mayor Zohran Mamdani that the city was considering its legal options.
Trump’s statement
“Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Monday.
Trump did not refer to Mamdani’s comments in the Truth Social post. He credited Israel with helping in the Iran war.
ICC warrant
The Hague-based International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 over alleged war crimes during the Gaza war. Israel rejects the court’s jurisdiction and denies committing war crimes.
Netanyahu traditionally travels to New York each September for the annual United Nations General Assembly gathering of world leaders.
Mayor’s comments and Israel’s response
Mamdani said in an interview broadcast on Saturday that New York City’s legal department was actively considering what the law might allow.
“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court,” Mamdani said on The New York Times video podcast “The Interview.”
Israel responded on X on Sunday, describing the ICC as a “kangaroo court” and the warrant against Netanyahu as “bogus.” It said Mamdani appeared to be diverting attention from his “follies” and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East.