President Donald Trump joked Friday that he is not yet a target of the International Criminal Court (ICC), as his government wages a campaign against the institution, urging member nations to withdraw.
“By the way, there’s no information that they’re after me,” but “it could happen,” Trump said to laughs from cabinet members gathered at the Camp David presidential retreat, interrupting top diplomat Marco Rubio as he reiterated American opposition to the court.
“He’s not trying to defend me. He is trying to defend Bibi and various other people,” the president said, using a nickname for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the subject of a 2024 ICC arrest warrant.
In mid-July, the United Sates launched a major diplomatic offensive against the court — a long-standing bete noir accused of threatening Americans — promising new sanctions and calling for partners to quit.
Relations between the Trump administration and the court, which is based in The Hague, are extremely poor, with some judges already subject to US sanctions.
Established in 2002, the ICC is responsible for prosecuting perpetrators of the world’s most serious crimes when nations lack the will or capacity to do so themselves.
But Rubio said Friday that the court is “an illegitimate international organization.”
Neither Israel nor the United States are party to the international treaty that established the ICC.
“We tried to get them to reform and listen to us. They wouldn’t do it. They’re very arrogant. We’ve now begun an effort to really try to bring that court to heel,” said Rubio, noting that five countries had withdrawn or planned to do so and that others should follow.
Chad and Venezuela have both recently announced their withdrawal from the ICC.
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