The United States has announced a campaign to weaken the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing the tribunal as a threat to American sovereignty and signalling that further sanctions, visa restrictions and diplomatic pressure on allies could follow.
In a statement released on Monday, the U.S. State Department said it would pursue a "whole-of-government response" to "systematically disable the ICC's ability to operate, target American servicemen or officials, or otherwise threaten American sovereignty."
Washington argues that the court has no jurisdiction over U.S. citizens because the United States has never ratified the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. The department said successive U.S. administrations had rejected the court's authority over Americans, noting that the ICC had previously opened an investigation into alleged crimes committed by U.S. troops and intelligence personnel in Afghanistan.
Although the court shifted its focus away from the U.S. investigation in 2021, it has never formally closed the case.
Writing in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration would "dismantle the ICC - brick by brick, if necessary", arguing that the court had evolved into a supranational institution seeking to override the authority of sovereign states.
The latest move comes after Washington imposed sanctions last year on 11 ICC officials, including nine judges and the court's chief prosecutor, freezing assets under U.S. jurisdiction and imposing travel restrictions.
The European Union responded by reaffirming its support for the ICC. European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said the bloc remained committed to the court's independence, international criminal justice and the fight against impunity.
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