US Launches Campaign To Weaken ICC, Vows Sanctions Over Court’s Alleged Threat To American Sovereignty
US Launches Campaign To Weaken ICC, Vows Sanctions Over Court’s Alleged Threat To American Sovereignty
Trump declared that the Hague-based tribunal poses an “intolerable threat” to American sovereignty and warning that no diplomatic option is off the table.
The administration of United States President, Donald Trump, has unveiled a sweeping campaign aimed at curtailing the influence and operations of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Trump declared that the Hague-based tribunal poses an “intolerable threat” to American sovereignty and warning that no diplomatic option is off the table.
The announcement was made on Monday in a statement issued by the U.S. Department of State after Secretary of State Marco Rubio authorised what the department described as a “whole-of-government response” to counter the ICC.
According to the State Department, the initiative is designed to ensure that the court is unable to investigate, prosecute or otherwise target American military personnel and government officials.
“Today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to U.S. sovereignty,” the statement read.
“The campaign will feature a whole-of-government response to systematically disable the ICC’s ability to operate, target American servicemen or officials, or otherwise threaten American sovereignty.”
The State Department accused the ICC of attempting to exercise jurisdiction over American citizens despite the United States never ratifying the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court.
“The ICC poses an intolerable threat to U.S. sovereignty – it claims the authority to prosecute and even imprison American servicemen and officials operating on behalf of America’s national interest.”
“Americans never signed up for this, and all American presidents since the ICC’s ratification have maintained that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over Americans.”
Washington also criticised the court for keeping open investigations involving U.S. military personnel and intelligence officers.
“The ICC previously opened an investigation into U.S. servicemen and intelligence officers and has since refused to close these cases.”
The U.S. further accused the international tribunal of seeking powers beyond those granted by sovereign states.
“The ICC now seeks to become the unaccountable global arbiter – positioning itself above and beyond the nation state as a supranational enforcement arm of a globalist bureaucracy empowered to persecute American servicemen and officials at will.”
The State Department said the campaign would involve diplomatic, political and economic measures designed to weaken the court’s ability to function.
According to the statement, one of the key elements of the initiative will be an international lobbying effort led by Secretary Rubio, senior State Department officials and U.S. ambassadors to persuade countries to withdraw from the ICC.
The department said Washington would urge foreign governments to reject what it described as the court’s “purported authority” over U.S. citizens.
Among the measures under consideration are diplomatic engagements encouraging countries that cooperate closely with the U.S. military and law enforcement to distance themselves from the court.
The administration also warned that countries benefiting from U.S. security assistance while continuing to support the ICC could face increased scrutiny.
The State Department further disclosed that Washington would encourage other countries that, like the United States, are not parties to the Rome Statute to coordinate diplomatic efforts against the court.
Other proposed measures include visa revocations and travel restrictions targeting ICC officials, as well as expanded sanctions against the court and organisations affiliated with it.
The latest announcement marks a significant escalation in Washington’s long-running opposition to the ICC.
The United States signed the Rome Statute establishing the court in 2000 but never ratified the treaty. Successive American administrations have maintained that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over U.S. nationals unless authorised by the United Nations Security Council or accepted by the United States.
The ICC, established in 2002 and headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, is mandated to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression when national courts are unwilling or unable to do so.
The court has in recent years opened or pursued investigations involving alleged crimes committed in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Sudan, the Palestinian territories and several African countries.
Washington’s latest campaign is expected to deepen tensions between the United States and the ICC, while potentially placing pressure on allied countries that are parties to the Rome Statute to choose between continued support for the court and maintaining close strategic ties with the United States.
The development could also have broader implications for international justice mechanisms and accountability efforts, particularly in conflict zones where the ICC has sought to investigate allegations involving both state and non-state actors.
