Trump dismisses NY Mayor Mamdani's threat to arrest Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be arrested if he visits New York for a United Nations summit, pushing back after the city’s new mayor suggested he was examining whether such a move could be attempted.

In a post on social media, Trump said Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.” He also described Netanyahu as someone “fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” underscoring his support for the Israeli leader as tensions over the issue spilled into US politics.

The dispute began after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was looking into the possibility of having Netanyahu detained if he comes to the city for the UN General Assembly in September. Mamdani told the New York Times that he believed Netanyahu belonged “in The Hague,” adding that he considered the Israeli prime minister a war criminal. He also said that many people shared that view because of the impact of Israel’s actions over recent years.

At the same time, Mamdani acknowledged uncertainty over whether he actually has the legal authority to direct the New York Police Department to detain a foreign head of government. He said his administration was still discussing the matter with legal advisers and would act only within the limits of the law. “Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do,” he said, while adding that the city would not create new laws for that purpose.

Netanyahu has been expected to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in September, making New York the likely setting for any clash over the mayor’s comments. During his mayoral campaign in September 2025, Mamdani had said he would order the NYPD to arrest Netanyahu if he came to the city.

The issue also touches on the International Criminal Court, which said in 2024 that it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu was responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Netanyahu’s office has rejected that court’s authority, dismissing it as a “kangaroo court.”

According to the New York Times report cited in the feed, Netanyahu was not worried about Mamdani’s threat and instead accused the mayor of backing Hamas. In the same interview, he suggested Mamdani should reconsider who he criticizes and praises.

Mamdani has previously condemned pro-Hamas chants and referred to Hamas as a terrorist organization when challenged over his remarks, indicating that he has also sought to distance himself from the group.

This report is based on a monitored public feed from Dawn World.

Source: Dawn World - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017066/trump-dismisses-ny-mayor-mamdanis-threat-to-arrest-netanyahu