Senate Republicans Challenge NYC Mayor-Elect Over Arrest Pledge

Senate Republicans are aiming to confront New York’s Mayor-elect, Zoran Mamdani, regarding his intentions to have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested in Congress. Senator Ted Budd from North Carolina is set to propose legislation that would restrict funding to cities that adhere to warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for officials from NATO countries.

This proposal, termed the Protecting American Allies Act, emerges as a direct reaction to Mamdani’s firm commitment to pursue Netanyahu’s arrest. The ICC had previously issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli leader, prompting significant scrutiny from lawmakers both domestically and abroad.

Mamdani reiterated his stance last week before a meeting with President Trump. He expressed to a local news outlet that New York City is guided by international law and would uphold the arrest warrant, which accuses Netanyahu of deliberately targeting civilians and employing famine as a warfare tactic.

“As I’ve mentioned before, this city is founded on international law principles. Upholding that means supporting ICC warrants, whether they pertain to Netanyahu or others,” Mamdani stated.

In response, Senator Budd accused the U.S. judicial system of being disconnected from moral standards, asserting that Mamdani’s comments reflect a desire to appeal to extremist anti-Israel sentiments rather than a legal basis. Budd criticized the pledge to facilitate Netanyahu’s arrest, labeling it as a serious threat to U.S. relations with its allies.

Budd’s proposed legislation strives to prevent Department of Justice grants from reaching cities that collaborate with such courts, particularly in cases involving NATO allies. Moreover, it features a mechanism for the president to lift penalties only if cooperation is crucial for national security.

Interestingly, during the meeting between Mamdani and Trump, the topic of Netanyahu’s arrest did not surface. When asked about it, Trump remarked that they “didn’t discuss” the matter at all.