On July 13 local time, Reuters reported citing an American State Department official that the Trump administration is taking action to eliminate what it calls a ‘threat’ posed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to U.S. sovereignty.
This unnamed official revealed that the United States is considering various measures against the ICC, including imposing travel bans, revoking visas, strengthening sanctions against the court and its related institutions, and applying diplomatic pressure to persuade other countries to withdraw from the court.
International Criminal Court exterior view, information picture
The ICC was established in 2002, located in The Hague, Netherlands. Its main function is to prosecute and trial individuals who commit crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression.
It should be noted that this court can easily be confused with the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
The International Criminal Court was established based on the Rome Statute, which came into effect on July 1, 2002. Therefore, the Court has jurisdiction over only those four international crimes that came into effect after the Statute was adopted. However, in practice, the ICC is not yet able to exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression. The primary judicial body for this crime is the United Nations Security Council.
It is noteworthy that China, Russia, and the United States, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have not joined this convention. The United States signed the Rome Convention on December 31, 2000, but withdrew its signature before being approved by Congress.
According to Reuters, U.S. President Trump and other American officials, including former President Bush, have long argued that the International Criminal Court should not have the power to investigate and prosecute Americans, especially military personnel.
Earlier this year, Reuters reported that the Trump administration supported sanctions against ICC officials, partly to prevent the court from possibly holding him or his officials accountable for actions of the U.S. military overseas in the future.
In fact, Trump's hostility towards the ICC has existed for a long time, and it became apparent during his first term in office. This hostility was further intensified in November 2024, when Trump had just won the election, and the ICC prosecuted his ally—Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
