A dual U.S.-German national was arrested in New York after being deported from Israel, where he had attempted to carry out an arson attack targeting the U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv. The suspect, 28-year-old Joseph Neumeyer, faces federal charges for attempting to destroy U.S. government property by fire or explosive, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in the Eastern District of New York.
President Donald Trump addressed Neumeyer’s arrest, late Sunday: "There are a lot of people like that around us — a lot of mentally ill people."
The charges stem from a May 19 incident in which Neumeyer allegedly approached the U.S. Embassy building on HaYarkon Street in Tel Aviv carrying a dark-colored backpack containing three improvised incendiary devices—commonly referred to as Molotov cocktails. According to the complaint, Neumeyer spat at a local guard as he passed near an employee entrance to the building. When the guard tried to detain him, Neumeyer repeatedly shouted “f**k you” in English, broke free, and fled, leaving the backpack behind. Another guard pursued him, but Neumeyer escaped on foot.
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Joseph Neumeyer, who tried to firebomb the US embassy building in Tel Aviv, was arrested at JFK after being deported from Israel
(Photo: Facebook)
A strong odor of alcohol was detected coming from the backpack, and one of the bottles inside had a black cloth protruding from its neck. Israeli law enforcement later confirmed the presence of ethanol—a flammable liquid—inside the bottles. An explosives disposal unit was dispatched to neutralize the devices. The FBI stated that, based on the configuration and contents, the items met the definition of rudimentary Molotov cocktails.
Neumeyer was tracked through surveillance footage to a hotel located five blocks from the embassy. A hotel employee identified him from a still image provided by law enforcement and confirmed his room number. When agents knocked on his door, Neumeyer opened it. He matched the description provided by the guard and subsequently admitted to being the individual involved in the assault. According to the complaint, he stated “in sum and substance” that his backpack contained “Molotov cocktail bottles” filled with vodka.
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Joseph Neumeyer's backpack contained homemade Molotov cocktails
(Photo: Police Spokesperson)
Earlier that same day, Neumeyer allegedly posted a message on his Facebook account stating, “join me as I burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv. Death to America, death to Americans, and f**k the west.” The Facebook profile in question included Neumeyer’s name and photograph. Additional posts dating back to March 2025 called for the assassination of the President of the United States. One post from March 22 explicitly referred to executing the president, while others expressed violent anti-American rhetoric.
Neumeyer had left the U.S. on February 7 via a flight to Toronto and arrived in Israel on April 23. He was arrested in Tel Aviv on May 19 following the attempted attack and was held by Israeli authorities before being deported to the United States. He landed at JFK International Airport on May 25 and was immediately taken into federal custody by FBI agents.
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The Department of Justice said the suspect would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. “This defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening death to Americans, and President Trump’s life,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department will not tolerate such violence.” The Justice Department also thanked its Israeli law enforcement counterparts, whose swift actions ensured that no lives were lost during the attempted attack.
“As alleged, Neumeyer, armed with potentially lethal devices, sought to cause chaos and destruction at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella. “His arrest and prosecution clearly show that my Office and the Department of Justice will not tolerate violence in our homeland or violence targeting U.S. interests abroad.”
FBI Director Kash Patel added: “The defendant is charged with attempting to firebomb the U.S. Embassy and making threats to President Trump. This despicable and violent behavior will not be tolerated at home or abroad, and the FBI, working with our partners, will bring him to face justice for his dangerous actions.”
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Joseph Neumeyer faces federal charges for attempting to destroy U.S. government property by fire or explosive
(Photo: Facebook)
If convicted, Neumeyer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, along with a potential fine of up to $250,000.
It remains unclear how Neumeyer was allowed entry into Israel, given that even a cursory review of his public Facebook profile reveals a long trail of extreme and violent rhetoric. His account features repeated expressions of hatred toward Israel, Nazi symbols, and stalking-like posts targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Neumeyer presented himself as the CEO and founder of an AI-based data company, which also published threatening posts on official pages. One of them stated that the company was "proud to provide a 100-year electricity refund to all former Palestinians," allegedly in cooperation with the IDF, the Air Force, the Dubai Water Authority, and the Indian Space Research Organization.
After Yuval Raphael's achievement at Eurovision, Neumeyer shared the video of the song and wrote: "Long live the Fourth Reich. Death to America" – and tagged the official account of the Tel Aviv Municipalitywhile he was staying in Israel and documenting his travels.