President Donald J. Trump issued a statement confirming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested while present in the United States.
The declaration responded to remarks by New York City mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani, who announced plans to pursue the detention of Netanyahu on war‑crime allegations during the leader’s expected visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Mamdani said he is engaged in an active discussion with his legal team to evaluate the feasibility of arresting the Israeli prime minister, citing the International Criminal Court facilities in The Hague as the appropriate jurisdiction for such charges.
The mayor‑elect also asserted that New York City operates as a sovereign entity, implying that municipal authorities could act independently of federal law in matters involving foreign dignitaries.
Trump’s statement emphasized that head‑of‑state immunity applies and that federal jurisdiction supersedes any local attempts to detain a foreign leader.
He further argued that former U.S. presidents should face arrest for policies he described as leading Iran into a “spiral of death and destruction.”
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations criticized Mamdani’s comments as political theater, reaffirming that diplomatic immunity protects heads of state and that local officials lack authority to override federal decisions.
Netanyahu remains scheduled to attend the UN General Assembly later this year, and no legal action to detain him on U.S. soil has been indicated.
