Trump admin launches campaign to dismantle ICC ‘brick by brick, if necessary’

The Trump administration launched a campaign to “dismantle the threat” posed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to U.S. sovereignty. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the initiative, which will involve diplomatic pressure on allies to withdraw from the court, particularly those receiving U.S. assistance. The U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute, and this campaign follows years of opposition to the ICC's attempts to assert jurisdiction over American personnel, including an investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott stated, “America’s sovereignty is and always will be non-negotiable.” Options under consideration include visa revocations, travel bans for ICC personnel, expanded sanctions, and increased scrutiny of countries supporting the ICC while relying on U.S. security assistance. Rubio pledged to “dismantle the ICC—brick by brick, if necessary.”