New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sat for an interview with The New York Times and was asked about his campaign promise to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes were he ever to set foot in New York. Netanyahu is expected to be at the UN General Assembly in September, and Mamdani was asked what he would do to fulfil his campaign promise. His answer: He would do whatever the law allowed. Meaning? Meaning that he's having active conversations with the city's lawyers to find a way to arrest Netanyahu.
🚨 Mayor Mamdani Says He is Considering Arresting Bibi Netanyahu If He Visits NYC
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) July 18, 2026
“I believe that PM Netanyahu belongs in the Hague. He's a war criminal … There is an active conversation with our legal department in seeing what the prospects are we have here in our… pic.twitter.com/L9GI8hJLFp
Zohran Mamdani said he's in “an active conversation” with New York officials on whether he can have @netanyahu arrested in September, should the PM attend the UN General Assembly.
— Casey Babb (@DrCaseyBabb) July 18, 2026
It'll never make sense to me how this extremist became the mayor of NYC. https://t.co/ZI4llPEwPy
The conversation pic.twitter.com/gsp7X1zqBp
— Ken 👖 (@danic_98) July 18, 2026
Here’s how the talks went:
— RBe (@RBPundit) July 18, 2026
“Can we arrest Netanyahu when he comes to New York?”
“LOL no.”
It was a 10 second discussion. https://t.co/ac4RMAvxcg
Mamdani attempting to illegally arrest a foreign leader in New York City would lead to a deadly standoff between Secret Service agents, who protect visiting foreign leaders, and NYPD.
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) July 18, 2026
It’s time for the Trump Justice Department to open a criminal probe on Mamdani’s conspiracy. https://t.co/qZfsgjSFw6
Recommended
This man is a major threat to the United States of America. 25 years after 9/11 and one of their baby serpents is now finishing the mission.
— Politikal Kat-Tales (@PolitiKatTales) July 18, 2026
The only authority who can order or agree to the arrest of a foreign diplomat is the State Department. The mayor has no ability to order the NYPD to do squat about it.
— Michael (@And_Me_Mike_D) July 18, 2026
It’s all so much vacuous posturing. This “lion” doesn’t have any teeth nor claws.
— DisciplePOV (@DisciplePOV) July 18, 2026
Mamdani believes New York City is an independent country funded by the United States, like Uganda.
— Unvaccinated Covid Survivor (@ttxwe) July 18, 2026
There’s no “active conversation” because he and everyone else knows it would be illegal. This is pure demagoguery. https://t.co/h7dfYFPPyr
— Gregg Mashberg (@gregg_mashberg) July 18, 2026
This moron has delusions of adequacy.
— Publius Enigma (@PubliusEnig) July 18, 2026
Political stunt. He doesn’t have authority over the NYPD anyway and the seems he’s referring to an ICC warrant, which isn’t recognized in the U.S. This is clown level stuff.
— Matt Feinberg, Esq.⚖️ (@MattFeinbergEsq) July 18, 2026
Whose laws would Mandami be following exactly?
— WhiskeyTexasFoxtrot (@aleykhat_tx) July 18, 2026
The US is a sovereign nation
Mandami, the ICC and their “warrant” can pound sand pic.twitter.com/5g0s74jDKy
Mamdani is playing a wicked game. The International Criminal Court is a foreign agency that has no jurisdiction in the United States. How is his alignment with and advocacy for them, pitting his own authority against U.S. jurisdiction not treasonous?
— Tricia Flanagan (R-NJ) (@NewDayForNJ) July 18, 2026
Mamdani can have all of the active conversations with city officials that he wants, if that's how he chooses to waste his time. He knows he can't do a thing—this is all performative nonsense, delivered with a smug smile.
***