United States launches diplomatic campaign to dismantle International Criminal Court
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a “whole‑of‑government” effort to neutralise and dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC). The administration described the ICC as an intolerable threat to U.S. sovereignty, accusing it of waging a war against America with statutes and treaties rather than weapons. The plan includes travel bans, visa revocations, expanded sanctions on ICC officials and affiliated organisations, and a coordinated diplomatic push to persuade allied nations – especially those receiving U.S. security assistance – to reject the court’s authority and withdraw support. Washington stresses that the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute and has previously sanctioned ICC officials over investigations of U.S. actions in Afghanistan and the court’s arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. The campaign marks a significant escalation of a policy that began under the first Trump administration and aims to isolate the Hague tribunal internationally.