U.S. President Donald Trump has said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested during a visit to the United States, as New York City officials examine whether local authorities could act on an International Criminal Court warrant.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city’s legal department was reviewing what the law permits ahead of Netanyahu’s expected attendance at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 over allegations of war crimes connected to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Israel rejects the court’s jurisdiction and denies committing war crimes.

Trump responded by publicly declaring that Netanyahu would not be detained anywhere in the United States. He did not explain whether the federal government would intervene if New York authorities attempted to take action.

The United States and Israel are not members of the ICC, which does not possess its own police force and depends on national authorities to execute its warrants. This makes the possibility of an arrest in New York legally and politically uncertain.

Mamdani has repeatedly argued that Netanyahu should face proceedings in The Hague. Israel has condemned the mayor’s position and described the ICC warrant as politically motivated.

The dispute could produce a confrontation between federal and municipal authorities while renewing debate over the reach of international criminal law and the obligations of countries that do not recognise the court.