Senator John Fetterman has strongly rebuked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling him a "clown" for exploring the possibility of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the city. Fetterman dismissed the mayor's remarks as unrealistic and a distraction from local issues.
"Well, it's such a tough guy to say that kind of thing. He has no way to do that," Fetterman stated on Fox News' “Sunday Morning Futures.” He criticized Mamdani's suggestion as the musing of a "clown."
Mamdani had indicated that his team was investigating the legality of detaining Netanyahu, citing the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for the prime minister in connection with the war in Gaza. Fetterman countered that the United States is not a party to the ICC, and therefore, such an action by a city official would be unfounded.
"Obviously, America’s not even part of that corrupt court, and so he’s just a clown to even say that. So he won’t try that," Fetterman added. "And now, just sit down and focus on the problems that they have in New York. That’s really not your purview."
During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani had previously stated his intention to attempt an arrest of Netanyahu if the Israeli leader visited New York City. He reiterated this sentiment in a recent interview, saying, "I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," referring to the ICC's headquarters. Mamdani characterized Netanyahu as a "war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court," an opinion he suggested is widely held due to the prime minister's actions.
However, when pressed on the feasibility of such a move, Mamdani acknowledged that he might not possess the legal authority to detain a world leader and affirmed his commitment to adhering to existing laws. "We won’t be writing our own laws to that end," he said.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is scheduled to convene in September, which will mark Mamdani's first UNGA session as mayor. The mayor's office was contacted for comment regarding these statements.