Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina introduced new legislation aimed at cutting federal funding to cities that cooperate with International Criminal Court warrants against officials from NATO countries or U.S. major non-NATO allies, as reported by Fox News.
The proposal comes in direct response to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s repeated vow to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the city.
The legislation, titled the “American Allies Protection Act,” would block Department of Justice grants from going to any city that acts on an ICC warrant to arrest or detain leaders from NATO nations.
The bill also includes an override process allowing the president to lift the penalty only if cooperation with the court is deemed necessary for national security.
The ICC issued a warrant for Netanyahu last year, accusing him of intentionally attacking civilians and using starvation as a method of warfare.
The warrant has faced scrutiny from lawmakers in the United States and abroad. Despite this, Mamdani said last week that New York City would recognize the court’s warrants.
Before meeting with President Donald Trump, Mamdani told ABC7 that New York City was a “city of international law” and would follow the ICC’s direction.
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“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.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Budd said the United States is “not bound by the morally bankrupt” court. He said Mamdani’s position was not grounded in law, calling it an effort to “virtue-signal to his radical, anti-Israel base.”
Budd added:
“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.”
The meeting between President Trump and Mamdani did not include a discussion about the Netanyahu issue. When asked if the topic had been addressed, President Trump said the two “didn’t discuss” the matter.
The bill marks one of the first federal legislative responses to Mamdani’s public pledge and reflects growing concern among some lawmakers about how cities may respond to ICC actions.
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