Netanyahu brushes off Mamdani’s arrest pledge as ‘silly’
The Israeli prime minister said he would return to New York ‘with President Trump’ if Mamdani is elected
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with President Donald Trump (L) on July 07. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
By Jacob Kornbluh July 8, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday dismissed as unserious a campaign pledge from Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, to arrest him if he visits the city.
“I’m not concerned,” Netanyahu told reporters at the start of his dinner meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House. “There’s enough craziness in the world, but I guess it never ends… It’s silly in many ways, because it’s just not serious.”
Trump interjected: “I’ll get him out.”
It was unclear if the president meant he would get Netanyahu released from custody, or if he would — as previously promised — look into seeing if the Ugandan-born Mamdani entered the U.S. illegally.
Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist who recently won a crowded Democratic primary, made the arrest pledge last November in response to the International Criminal Court’s issuance of a warrant for Netanyahu. The court, headquartered in The Hague, accused the Israeli leader — along with former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif — of war crimes related to the Israel-Hamas war. The United States is not a party to the ICC.
Netanyahu visits New York each September to attend the United Nations General Assembly. His visit this week to the U.S. includes meetings with Trump and his national security team, Vice President JD Vance, congressional leaders. The visit comes as Israel and the U.S. are working on a potential ceasefire and hostage-release deal with Hamas. During Monday’s meeting, Netanyahu presented Trump with a letter nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his push for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran and efforts to exand the Abraham Accords.
Asked by a Fox News reporter whether he still planned to visit New York next year, Netanyahu said, “I’m going to come there with President Trump,” implying he would seek additional federal protection.
He then questioned why the media presumes Mamdani will be elected as mayor in November. “How do you know who the mayor will be?” he said. “I don’t know that.”
Trump echoed Netanyahu dismissal and renewed his attacks on Mamdani, calling him a communist, and added that Netanyahu “will be fine.”
Democratic make up about two-thirds of registered voters in New York City, and their mayoral nominees have historically cruised to victory in general elections.. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, elected as a Democrat in 2021 and running for reelection as an independent on an “End Antisemitism” ballot line, is trailing far behind Mamdani in a multiple-candidate race that includes Andrew Cuomo, the former governor who lost to Mamdani by six points, and Curtis Sliwa, the GOP nominee. However, Mamdani could still face a serious challenge if one of them bows out.
A recent survey showed that Mamdani’s arrest pledge is unpopular among likely general election voters. Just 36% said they support acting on the ICC warrant, while 45% oppose it. Nineteen percent were undecided or had no opinion.
