Trump Rejects New York Mayor’s Threat to Arrest Netanyahu During U.N. Visit

U.S. President Donald Trump firmly denied any possibility that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be arrested while in the United States, responding directly to a threat made by New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Adams had stated he intended to pursue Netanyahu’s arrest upon his arrival in New York City in September for the United Nations General Assembly, citing an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Adams described Netanyahu as a war criminal and said discussions were ongoing with the city’s legal department about the feasibility of such an arrest.

Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social that Netanyahu would not be arrested "in any way or form" during his U.S. visit. He praised Netanyahu for fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which Trump accused of killing thousands of innocent protesters and American soldiers over decades. Trump argued that those responsible for Iran’s violence and destruction, not Netanyahu, were the ones who should be arrested.

Legal experts in the U.S. have already indicated that arresting a sitting foreign head of state on U.S. soil is practically impossible and likely illegal, especially since the U.S. does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction. The dispute highlights tensions surrounding Netanyahu’s international legal status and the political implications of his visit to the U.N. assembly in New York.

The controversy began after Mayor Adams publicly vowed to act on the ICC’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu, who faces charges related to alleged war crimes. Trump’s unequivocal support for Netanyahu underscores the political divide over the issue and reaffirms the U.S. administration’s stance against Iran and its allies.