The administration of United States President Donald Trump has intensified its pressure 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 campaign was announced on Monday, July 13th, 2026, through a State Department news release, a video statement from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal.

The Trump administration has already imposed sanctions on ICC officials and rights groups that have provided evidence to the court. It has also threatened to penalize any entities aiding investigations into the US or its allies, particularly Israel. During his first term, Trump issued initial sanctions in 2020 against ICC officials in response to the Afghanistan investigation.

International law experts have suggested 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 organization, 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 alleged genocidal use of sexual violence, while ICC judges have sued Trump over sanctions, deeming the measures unlawful.

Sources