Trump: "Netanyahu will not be arrested in any way while in the U.S."

President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu [AFP·Reuters=Yonhap News File Photo]

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on the 20th (local time) that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested in any way during his stay in the United States.

President Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social, that "Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way or form, while he is in the United States."

Regarding Prime Minister Netanyahu, he added, "He is fighting against Iran, which has recently killed 52,000 innocent protesters and has been killing U.S. soldiers and others for the past 47 years."

He further emphasized, "The only people who should be arrested are those who have led Iran into this unprecedented vortex of death and destruction."

President Trump's remarks are interpreted as a public refutation of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat, who raised the possibility of arresting Prime Minister Netanyahu should he visit New York for the UN General Assembly in September, effectively acting as a 'shield' for him.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu in November 2024 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

In an interview with the New York Times (NYT) on the 18th, Mayor Mamdani called Prime Minister Netanyahu a "war criminal indicted by the ICC" and stated that he is reviewing legal measures to arrest him.

President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu have maintained a close relationship even before the war with Iran, and have further strengthened their military and diplomatic cooperation throughout the conflict.