GOP senator calls Mamdani’s Netanyahu arrest vow a ‘grave threat’ as he introduces defund bill

FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants to take a legislative shot at New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and his desire to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., is introducing legislation that would halt some funding to cities that follow through on any International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant to arrest or detain officials from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries.

The measure, called the “American Allies Protection Act,” is in direct response to Mamdani doubling down on his vow to arrest Netanyahu. Last year, the ICC issued a warrant for the Israeli prime minister’s arrest that has been heavily scrutinized by lawmakers in the U.S. and abroad.

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Mamdani reiterated his desire to arrest Netanyahu last week before meeting with President Donald Trump. He told local news station ABC7 that New York City was a “city of international law” that would uphold the court’s arrest warrants, which accused the Israeli prime minister of intentionally attacking civilians and using starvation as a method of warfare.

“I’ve said time and again that I believe this is a city of international law, and being a city of international law means looking to uphold international law,” he said. “And that means upholding the warrants from the International Criminal Court, whether they’re for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin.”

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Budd charged in a statement to Fox News Digital that the U.S. is “not bound by the morally bankrupt” court, and accused Mamdani’s position and comments of not being based in law but rather a means to “virtue-signal to his radical, anti-Israel base.”

“Mayor-elect Mamdani’s pledge to facilitate the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu is not just ridiculous; it represents a grave threat that could seriously damage America’s relationship with our closest allies and partners,” Budd said.

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His legislation would halt Department of Justice (DOJ) grants from flowing to any city that cooperates with the court and arrests a NATO or U.S. major non-NATO ally. 

There is an override mechanism built in that would allow the president to end the penalty only if cooperation with the court is deemed necessary for national security.

Meanwhile, the issue of Netanyahu apparently did not come up during Trump and Mamdani’s confab. When asked if there was discussion of stopping Mamdani from arresting Netanyahu, Trump said the pair, “Didn’t discuss” the matter.