The Trump administration is launching a frontal assault on the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which it defines as an existential threat to American sovereignty. Washington claims the institution seeks to become an “unaccountable arbiter” of a new global law, empowered to prosecute and arrest American citizens at will.
The International Criminal Court seeks to become the unaccountable arbiter of a new global law — empowered to prosecute and arrest our citizens at will and existentially threaten American sovereignty.
We will teach the ICC the full meaning of American resolve. pic.twitter.com/2egHK1jA98
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 13, 2026
The dispute between Washington and The Hague tribunal isn’t new. The U.S., which never joined the Rome Statute establishing the court, has consistently argued the institution has no authority to prosecute citizens of non-member states.
Washington views the court’s attempts to assert jurisdiction over American soldiers and citizens as overreach and a grave violation of national sovereignty. The U.S. has waged a prolonged battle against attempts to turn the court into a political tool targeting American foreign policy and military operations.
A State Department official confirmed the administration is examining a “wide range of options” to target the court. According to the emerging plan, measures will include direct sanctions on ICC judges and officials and affiliated organizations, alongside visa cancellations and flight restrictions. Additionally, the U.S. is expected to apply diplomatic pressure on countries worldwide to sever ties with the ICC and withdraw from it.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio made clear the U.S. won’t remain passive. “We will never give foreign officials our independence, which is our birthright,” Rubio said, adding a threatening message to the international institution: “The administration will not sit on the sidelines while the International Criminal Court and its allies threaten our people. If they think they can strip us of our sovereignty—we will teach them the full meaning of American resolve.”