Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) launched a sharp critique against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday, labeling the mayor a "clown" for suggesting that local authorities could detain Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his upcoming visit to the United Nations General Assembly this autumn.
Appearing on Fox News, Fetterman dismissed the mayor's rhetoric as empty posturing.
"[He's] such a tough guy to say that kind of thing. He has no way to do that," Fetterman said, adding, "America's not even part of that corrupt court," referring to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu.
"He's just a clown to even say that, so he won't try that. Just sit down and focus on other... problems that they have in New York. That's really not your purview. You and I know that. Sit down."
Fetterman’s comments came after Mamdani told The New York Times that his administration is actively looking into whether municipal authorities hold the legal power to execute such an arrest, declaring that Netanyahu is a "war criminal" who "belongs in The Hague."
Netanyahu’s office responded to Mamdani’s threats on Sunday, saying, "The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. Its bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public. It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny."
The statement also said, "Instead of backing Khan's criminal behaviour, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York. Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East."
The United States is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that founded the ICC, meaning it does not recognize the body’s authority over American citizens or foreign allies like Israel.
Fetterman, who has positioned himself as one of Israel's most staunch congressional allies, has increasingly clashed with the progressive faction of his own party over foreign policy. During his interview on Sunday, Fetterman spoke warmly of his shared views on Israel with the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, whose sister has been encouraged to seek his vacated seat.
"I'm proud to call Senator Graham as a friend. You know, we bonded over our love and devotion to Israel. You know, the Senator, he was working on important, important work. Yeah, he was a great American. It doesn't mean that he was just a Republican. That doesn't change that he's a great American," said Fetterman.
"If anything, that poor man worked to death. He was always committed to get things done and work together. You know, he was a very bipartisan guy. Yeah, there might be some professional wrestling kind of stuff in public, but in privately, he was always the first guy to cross the bridge and to find a way forward and be very, very agreeable. You know, you can't fill those shoes without a doubt, but I think it's also fantastic that his sister now, it seems like she's going to be able to carry on that legacy."
Fetterman concluded by once again stating that a continuing shift toward anti-Israel rhetoric among national Democrats could fundamentally reshape his relationship with his political party.
"That would force me to kind of reevaluate should I remain as a Democrat," he shared, later adding, "If we became the kind of party that would embrace someone like Hasan Piker, maybe my party doesn't want like a reasonable commonsense kind of Democrat that reminds people that standing with Israel... used to be part of our core values and one of the reasons why I've been I'm proud to be a Democrat."