President Donald Trump rang in the New Year with a glittering celebration at Mar-a-Lago, complete with political heavyweights and cameras eager for spectacle. The guest list, however, included one presence that quietly transformed the party into something far more loaded.
The optics — tuxedos, champagne, and political power on display — quickly ignited backlash online, as it became clear one of his guests was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, currently facing an international arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Netanyahu arrived at Trump’s Palm Beach estate earlier in the week for talks on the fragile Gaza ceasefire, but his appearance at the New Year’s Eve gala triggered a social media firestorm as both men faced staggering unpopularity in their respective countries.
Trump had previously joked during meetings that Netanyahu might attend the party, a comment that appeared lighthearted at the time but landed differently once video of the event began circulating online.
The timing proved combustible. Netanyahu is currently the subject of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court in late 2024, accusing him and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The charges allege the intentional deprivation of food to Gaza’s civilian population, deliberate attacks on civilians, and crimes including murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts committed between October 2023 and May 2024. Israel has dismissed the warrants as an anti-Semitic attack on democracies defending themselves against terrorism.
Critics online wasted little time reacting to the footage. “Oh look. More of our tax dollars hard at work for the wealthy,” one commenter wrote on Yahoo!. Another was more blunt: “War Criminals Celebrate War at War Criminal’s Golden Palace.”
The criticism extended beyond Trump to U.S. policy more broadly. While Netanyahu has traveled freely to the United States, including a recent appearance at the United Nations General Assembly, the U.S. government does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction.
Online reactions grew sharper as the night wore on. “Netanyahu is a killer and criminal. That’s why Trump likes him,” another commenter wrote on Yahoo!.
On Threads, one person declared, “This is disgusting. Two war criminals partying it up.” A reply added a visual jab: “Two war criminals and a mylar balloon from the Dollar Store,” referring to Melania Trump’s reflective silver gown.
View on Threads
Others drew parallels to Trump’s other controversies. “Reminds me of Trump partying with Epstein…he chooses the finest fiends,” one user commented.
A Threads post that circulated a short clip of Trump and Netanyahu standing alongside the first lady sparked mockery and suspicion, suggesting Trump was being led by foreign leaders rather than projecting his own presidential authority.
The post itself offered a dig at Trump, giving Netanyahu his title, stating, “Trump with US President at Mar-a-lago for new year’s celebrations.”
View on Threads
The savage swipe didn’t go unnoticed, “Trump with US president? Good one mate, sharp aren’t you,” one wrote.
Trump also was mocked for not doubling down to also invite another controversial world leader. “OMG! What a missed opportunity! Just needed Putin to make it trifecta,” one post read, referencing Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been wanted by the ICC since March 2023 for alleged war crimes against Ukraine.
The outrage unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing ceasefire negotiations, and as Trump himself faces mounting accusations of war crimes following controversial strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, including an incident in which survivors clinging to wreckage were reportedly killed in a second strike in early September.
Trump, meanwhile, has described the Gaza ceasefire reached in October as one of the major achievements of his return to power, though some White House officials privately fear Netanyahu is deliberately slowing the process.
This week, Trump publicly dismissed reports of friction, saying Israel had “lived up” to its commitments and placing responsibility on Hamas. Trump added that he was “not concerned about anything that Israel’s doing.”
The New Year’s Eve gathering marked the fifth meeting between Trump and Netanyahu in the United States since Trump’s return to office, underscoring the closeness of their political alliance. But for many watching online, the images from Mar-a-Lago symbolized something darker — a celebration of power insulated from accountability.
One commenter summed up the mood succinctly: “This is absolutely sickening. When will the world see the justice and the end of these 2 monsters.”
