Trump Says Netanyahu Faces No Arrest in US Amid Mayor Mamdani’s ICC Remarks

Washington, DC, July 21, 2026;

US President Donald Trump has declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not face arrest during any visit to the United States, responding to comments made by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani regarding possible legal action linked to an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.

Posting on his social media platform, Trump stated that there was “no scenario” under which Netanyahu would be arrested while on American soil. He defended the Israeli leader’s role in confronting Iran and argued that attention should instead be directed toward Iran’s leadership, accusing it of decades of violence and repression.

The controversy began after Mayor Zohran Mamdani told The New York Times that his administration was reviewing what legal authority, if any, New York City could exercise if Netanyahu visited the city. Mamdani described the Israeli Prime Minister as a “war criminal” and said discussions were underway with the city’s Law Department to determine the limits of municipal jurisdiction.

According to Mamdani, his administration is not attempting to create new legal powers but is examining existing laws to understand what action could legally be taken if such a situation arose.

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office strongly rejected the mayor’s remarks, describing the ICC arrest warrant as illegitimate and maintaining that the court has no jurisdiction over either Israel or the United States. The office also criticised the ICC’s handling of the case and accused Mamdani of using the issue to divert attention from challenges facing New York City.

Israeli officials further defended the country’s military operations in Gaza, stating that the Israel Defense Forces have adopted extensive measures to minimise civilian casualties while fighting Hamas, which Israel accuses of operating from civilian areas.

The dispute is rooted in arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court in November 2024 against Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict. Israel has denied all allegations and continues to contest the ICC’s jurisdiction.

The United States is not a member of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. As a result, the US is not legally required to execute ICC arrest warrants or extradite individuals sought by the court.