A collage showing President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani—FILEPHOTO
United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested when he visits the US, after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was still considering the move.
“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 that did not refer to the mayor’s comments.
Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America. He is fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which recently killed 52,000 innocent protestors, and has spent the last 47 years killing American Soldiers, and… pic.twitter.com/G2yWSuCZsc
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) July 20, 2026
The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 for alleged war crimes during the Gaza war. Israel rejects the court’s jurisdiction and denies committing war crimes.
Trump did not mention Mamdani in his Truth Social post, but credited Israel with helping in the Iran war.
The New York City mayor said in an interview broadcast on Saturday that the city’s legal department is 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 told a New York Times video podcast called “The Interview”.
Mamdani said today that the ICC arrest warrant should be “taken seriously”.
Speaking at a press conference, Mamdani said Netanyahu was “the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant” over alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes.
“We’re speaking about someone who’s the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. And he’s the subject of this arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity, for war crimes, and he’s the architect of the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza as Israel’s prime minister,” Mamdani said.
He added that his remarks were based on “facts of public record”, not personal opinion.
“I believe that when someone is charged with an International Criminal Court warrant, it’s something that should be taken seriously — whether it’s Benjamin Netanyahu or it’s Vladimir Putin or whomever else. What I’ve also made clear is that my administration will follow all applicable local laws,” he said.
Mamdani reiterated that position, saying: “If someone is charged with a warrant by the International Criminal Court for these kinds of crimes, that’s something I believe should be honoured. And I’ve also said that we will follow our local laws.”
Israel says ICC arrest warrant is ‘bogus’
Netanyahu traditionally travels to New York every September for the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.
Israel responded to Mamdani’s comments on Sunday in an X post that called the ICC a kangaroo court and the arrest warrant against Netanyahu bogus.
The Prime Minister’s Office:
The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. Its bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct…
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 19, 2026
“Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East,” it said.
The ICC was established in 2002 and has international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The United States and Israel are not members of the court.
Mamdani, who took office in January, said during his mayoral campaign that he would have police arrest Netanyahu if he set foot in New York City.
Last November, shortly after Mamdani’s election victory, the mayor-elect and Trump held an unexpectedly friendly meeting in the White House, even though they had previously traded insults.
