United States President Donald Trump has dismissed suggestions that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be arrested if he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September.
The remarks followed comments by New York City’s newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who told The New York Times that he believes Netanyahu should face justice at The Hague over alleged war crimes. Mamdani said he was consulting legal experts on whether New York authorities could detain a foreign leader attending the UN gathering.
“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He’s a war criminal,” Mamdani said.
Responding on Monday, Trump rejected the possibility of any arrest, insisting that Netanyahu would not be detained while in the United States.
The US president said the Israeli leader, who is engaged in confronting Iran, would not face arrest “in any way, shape, or form” on American soil.
Netanyahu’s office also dismissed Mamdani’s comments and reiterated its rejection of the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing it as a “kangaroo court.”
In 2024, the ICC said it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu bore responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, cross-border attack.
