Trump Blocks Mayor Mamdani's Attempt to Arrest Benjamin Netanyahu

President Donald Trump declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested in any way, shape, or form while in the United States. The intervention followed an effort by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to determine if the city had the legal authority to detain Netanyahu during his expected visit to the UN General Assembly in September.

Mamdani characterized Netanyahu as a "war criminal" who "belongs in The Hague," citing a November 2024 International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for alleged war crimes and genocide in Gaza. After consulting the city's Law Department, Mamdani announced on July 22 that New York City lacks the independent legal authority to enforce the warrant, though he urged the federal government to execute the arrest instead.

Israeli officials, including Ambassador Danny Danon and the Prime Minister's Office, dismissed the threats as "political theater" and "blood libels." They labeled the ICC a "kangaroo court" and claimed the warrant was a "bogus" attempt by former prosecutor Karim Khan to divert attention from personal misconduct. U.S. officials, including UN Ambassador Mike Waltz and Senator John Fetterman, echoed this dismissal, citing head-of-state immunity and the fact that the U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute.

Separately, Netanyahu cancelled a planned meeting with Trump in Washington, officially citing scheduling conflicts, though sources pointed to tensions over Iran policy and fighter jet sales to Türkiye. Simultaneously, Trump ordered military leaders to ensure Iran pays "many times over" for recent attacks on U.S. bases in Jordan and Iraq.