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Trump rejects Netanyahu ICC arrest talk in New York — New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s suggestion that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be arrested for war crimes if he visits the city

Editorial Team

Mamdani says NYPD review possible detention ahead of UNGA

US President Donald Trump has rejected New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s suggestion that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be arrested for war crimes if he visits the city, saying Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form” while in the United States.

Trump made the statement on Monday in a social media post that did not mention Mamdani by name but referenced Israel’s role in supporting the US during its war on Iran.

The dispute highlights growing political and legal tensions around international accountability efforts linked to the war in Gaza, as well as questions about what authority local officials in the United States would have to act on an International Criminal Court warrant.

It comes ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September, an annual event that Netanyahu typically attends and that could place the issue directly in front of US, Israeli and UN officials.

Statements and immediate reactions

Trump said Netanyahu would not be arrested in the United States, responding to public discussion about a potential visit to New York.
Mamdani said his administration is still weighing whether an arrest would be possible if Netanyahu attends the UN General Assembly in September.
In remarks published Saturday, Mamdani said he believes Netanyahu “belongs in The Hague,” referring to the seat of the ICC.
Israel responded on X by rejecting Mamdani’s comments, calling the ICC a “kangaroo court” and describing the warrant as “bogus.”

Legal and diplomatic context

The International Criminal Court, created in 2002 to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024. The warrant alleges war crimes connected to Israel’s war in Gaza.

Israel rejects the court’s jurisdiction, and neither Israel nor the United States is a member of the ICC. The question of enforcement is particularly complex in the US, where the ICC does not operate as a domestic law enforcement body and where arrest authority generally rests with federal, state and local agencies acting under US law.

Mamdani has framed the issue as enforcement of the ICC warrant, including during his mayoral campaign, when he warned he would order police to arrest Netanyahu if he came to New York.

Mamdani’s comments came as aides prepared for September’s UN General Assembly, a recurring moment when foreign leaders concentrate in New York and questions of policing, security, and diplomatic status become more visible. The ICC is a treaty-based court under the Rome Statute, and its arrest warrants are generally carried out through cooperation by member states rather than by the court itself.

What Mamdani says the city can and cannot do

Mamdani has said he is not yet sure he has the legal authority to direct the New York Police Department, which he oversees, to detain a foreign leader. He said he is in “an active conversation” with the city’s Law Department about what actions are permitted.

“Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end,” he said.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, has pursued measures aimed at undermining the ICC, including sanctions targeting judges, prosecutors and groups that seek rulings against Israel over allegations of human rights violations.

On July 20, 2026, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form while in the United States of America.” Trump’s UN ambassador, Mike Waltz, also criticized the idea, calling it “pure political theater” and insisting “it is not going to happen,” citing the US position that it is not a party to the ICC framework.

MamMamdani said his administration is still considering whether to arrest Netanyahu should he attend the UNGA in New York in September [AI Image]

What happens next

No arrest action has been announced, and Mamdani has said the legal question remains under review with the city’s Law Department. Netanyahu’s potential travel would be tied to the UN General Assembly in September, when many world leaders visit New York.

Trump’s public statement signals the White House position that Netanyahu will not be detained during any US visit, while broader disputes over the ICC’s authority and enforcement are likely to continue.