On July 13, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, announcing plans to “dismantle” the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to neutralize what he calls a “comprehensive threat to American sovereignty.”
Rubio argued that while the ICC was initially sold as a court of last resort with limited jurisdiction—only meant to prosecute the most serious crimes—it has since evolved into a tool for creating a permanent global court with near-unlimited power. In his view, the ICC now claims authority that “supersedes the courts and constitutions of the United States and other sovereign nations,” including the ability to arrest and prosecute U.S. military personnel and officials.
“The ICC’s interference in U.S. military and law enforcement operations isn’t just a gross abuse of its supposed mandate—it signals the end of the United States as a sovereign, independent nation,” Rubio wrote. He accused the court of specifically targeting American citizens and stressed that “the American people never consented” to the ICC’s authority.
That same day, the U.S. State Department released a statement announcing a coordinated, whole-of-government diplomatic campaign to “systematically weaken the ICC’s operational capacity,” preventing it from targeting U.S. service members or officials, or otherwise undermining U.S. sovereignty.
According to the State Department, potential measures under consideration include: urging other nations to withdraw from the ICC, demanding that countries reject any ICC charges against U.S. officials and military personnel, revoking visas for ICC staff, and imposing travel bans.
On July 13, Rubio released a video statement targeting the ICC. (Video screenshot)
The ICC, based in The Hague, was established in 2002 to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. Notably, three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council—China, Russia, and the United States—are not parties to the Rome Statute. The U.S. did sign the treaty in December 2000 but never ratified it.
Reuters notes that President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials, including former President George W. Bush, have long argued that the ICC should not have the authority to investigate or prosecute Americans, especially U.S. military personnel.
Earlier this year, Reuters reported that the Trump administration was backing sanctions against ICC officials, partly as a preemptive move to shield the president and his team from potential prosecution over U.S. military actions abroad.
In fact, Trump’s hostility toward the ICC goes back to his first term. That animosity flared up again in November 2024, shortly after his election victory, when the ICC indicted his ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.