Trump calls Netanyahu and himself ‘war heroes’

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Despite this, U.S. President Donald Trump has described Netanyahu as a “war hero.”

In an interview on Tuesday (August 19) with conservative radio host Mark Levin, Trump said of Netanyahu:
“He is a good man. He is fighting there… he’s a war hero, because we worked together. He is a war hero. I think I am too.” (Anadolu Agency)

Trump dismissed attempts to hold Netanyahu accountable for war crimes in Gaza, saying, “They’re basically trying to put him in prison.”

It remains unclear whether Trump was referring to the ICC arrest warrant or to Netanyahu’s domestic corruption trials. Back in June, however, Trump had openly demanded that the corruption cases against Netanyahu be dropped.

Since 2020, Netanyahu has been facing trial for corruption, making him the first sitting Israeli leader in history to undergo criminal proceedings while still in office.

Meanwhile, the ICC in November last year issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Separately, Israel is also facing genocide proceedings at the International Court of Justice over its ongoing assault on Gaza.

According to local authorities, since Israel launched its offensive in October 2023, more than 62,000 Palestinians—most of them women and children—have been killed. The campaign has devastated the entire Gaza Strip, pushing it to the brink of famine.

In the interview, Trump further claimed that in the past he had worked “very hard” in negotiations with Hamas to secure the release of Israeli hostages.

The U.S. president asserted, “I got all the hostages back… I received countless letters from parents, from children, and from those who were rescued. None of them would have returned if I hadn’t brought them back.”

Trump also boasted about ordering a U.S. airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June.

“I sent those planes… the pilots returned after completing the mission. I rewarded them. I called everyone involved in the operation to the Oval Office. It was absolutely perfect… total destruction,” Trump said.

During the same interview, Trump attacked Democrats, accusing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of siding with Palestinians.

“It’s unbelievable that the Democrats… especially Schumer, are now pro-Palestinian. We call him the Palestinian senator from New York,” he remarked.