The administration of United States President Donald Trump has intensified its campaign against the International Criminal Court (ICC), with the US State Department pledging a "whole-of-government response to systematically disable" the tribunal's operations. This announcement was made on Monday, July 13th, 2026, through a news release accompanied by a video statement from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal.

The Trump administration has previously imposed sanctions on ICC officials and rights groups providing evidence to the court, particularly targeting investigations related to the US and its allies, including Israel. Initial sanctions were issued in 2020 during Trump's first term in response to the ICC's Afghanistan investigation.

International law experts have indicated that several actions by the administration could be subject to future ICC investigations. These include the US-Israel conflict with Iran, strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean, and the abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Raed Jarrar, advocacy director at the Washington, DC-based DAWN rights organisation, criticized the administration's approach, stating it "sends the message that the powerful are above the law."

The ICC continues to face pressure amid calls to investigate Israel's use of sexual violence, while ICC judges have sued Trump over sanctions, deeming them unlawful.

Sources