Rubio vows to 'dismantle the ICC brick by brick' as US launches whole-of-government campaign against the Hague court

The Trump administration opened a new front against the International Criminal Court on Monday, declaring a 'whole-of-government' campaign designed to cripple the tribunal's ability to function. The announcement, delivered via a State Department statement, a video message from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, marks a sharp escalation in Washington's long-running feud with the court.

The declaration of 'war'

Rubio framed the confrontation in stark terms, telling Americans that the ICC and its allies are 'waging a war against our country, not with bullets or missiles, but with statutes, compacts, and the force of so-called international law.' He argued the court now 'threatens every aspect of our political and legal system' and warned that inaction would leave Americans 'at the mercy of foreign judges, situated thousands of kilometres away.'

If they believe they can deprive us of our sovereignty, we will teach them the full meaning of American resolve.

In his Wall Street Journal piece, titled 'Why we want to dismantle the ICC,' Rubio pledged to take the institution apart 'brick by brick, if necessary.' The State Department communique said the goal was to 'systematically disable the ICC's ability to operate, pursue American servicemen or officials, or in any other way threaten US sovereignty.'

The arsenal under consideration

Monday's announcement was light on immediate new orders but detailed a range of punitive options being prepared. The State Department listed 'increased sanctions' and travel bans targeting ICC personnel and affiliated organisations, alongside visa revocations. It also promised 'increased scrutiny of nations that refuse to reject the ICC's false authority while relying on US assistance,' signalling diplomatic pressure on allies to distance themselves from the court.

The campaign envisages a comprehensive whole-of-government response to systematically disable the ICC's capacity to operate.

The measures build on existing sanctions already imposed on ICC judges and Prosecutor Karim Khan. Those sanctions bar targeted individuals from entering the United States and block any property or financial transactions with them on US soil. Three judges filed a lawsuit in late June against what they called 'draconian' punitive measures, including the entry bans.

The Israel catalyst and US jurisdiction

Much of the current animosity traces back to the ICC's investigations concerning Israel, a close US ally. The court issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The Trump administration has treated those warrants as a direct affront and has sanctioned multiple court officials in retaliation.

The United States never ratified the Rome Statute, the 1998 treaty that created the ICC in 2002, and successive US administrations have maintained that American citizens are beyond the court's reach. The Justice Department restated that position in a letter to ICC President Tomoko Akane. More than 100 countries have signed bilateral agreements with the US promising not to surrender Americans to the court. The ICC also operates under a complementarity rule, meaning a domestic investigation or prosecution in a US court would strip the tribunal of jurisdiction over alleged American crimes.

Reactions and next steps

Despite the dramatic rhetoric, the practical path to dismantling a court supported by over 120 member states is narrow. The ICC has no police force of its own and relies on member countries to execute arrests. Rubio has already begun working the diplomatic channels, making calls last week to top diplomats in other countries to press the case against the court, a US official confirmed.

The State Department warned that 'no diplomatic option will be ruled out' and said the campaign would involve 'working beside every ally with whom we can make common cause.' The announcement did not set a timeline for rolling out the new sanctions or visa actions.