Trump speaks to Orbán and Netanyahu on Hungary's withdrawal from ICC
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Orbán and Netanyahu in Budapest on Thursday. Photo: Janos Kummer/Getty Images)
President Trump held a phone call Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and discussed Hungary's decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Netanyahu's office said.
Why it matters: The ICC issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu for alleged war crimes during the war in Gaza. His visit to Hungary on Thursday was the first time he traveled to a country under the court's jurisdiction — but Orbán announced ahead of his arrival that Hungary would be withdrawing from the ICC.
- Orbán and Netanyahu are two of Trump's key international ideological allies.
- Trump is also a vocal opponent of the ICC and has signed executive orders to impose sanctions on the court's prosecutors and judges.
- Trump told reporters on Air Force 1 that he spoke to Netanyahu on Thursday and that the Israeli prime minister might visit the U.S. next week.
- An Israeli official told Axios that during their phone call on Thursday Trump invited Netanyahu to the White House, but no date has been set yet for such a meeting.
- A U.S. official said Netanyahu's visit to the White House will likely take place "in a few weeks."
Driving the news: Orbán broke with most EU countries by declaring that he would not abide by the ICC warrant against Netanyahu.
- Ahead of Thursday's meeting in Budapest, Orbán announced Hungary would start the withdrawal process from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.
- "It's important to stand up to this corrupt organization that has equated a democracy that is challenged for its very existence by the most horrific terrorist powers on earth. The ICC directs its actions against us, fighting a just war with just means, and of course not against our tormentors," Netanyahu told Orbán.
Zoom out: The ICC has also issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. As with Netanyahu, the warrant limits his ability to travel abroad in Europe and elsewhere.
- Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested last month on an ICC warrant, setting the stage for one of the court's most high-profile cases ever.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.
