Rubio says US will campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 13 that the Trump administration would mount a diplomatic campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court , laying out the argument in an opinion piece and on social media. The announcement hardens a stance the administration has taken since imposing sanctions on ICC officials earlier this year, which prompted the court’s judges to sue over the measures.
The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the court and has long objected to its assertion of jurisdiction over American and Israeli nationals. Washington cannot abolish the court on its own; a campaign to “dismantle” it would instead work through pressure on member states, funding and cooperation. The practical effect depends on whether other governments, most of which remain ICC members, follow the US lead.