Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the administration will use all available means to dismantle the International Criminal Court brick by brick, if necessary
.
The United States is preparing a comprehensive package of severe sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, according to The Times. Unlike previous measures targeting specific individuals, these restrictions are designed to affect the functions of the institution itself, as well as its external companies, suppliers, and IT partners. Washington is treating the tribunal effectively as if it were a separate country.
Reasons for U.S. Action
The U.S. reaction is driven by the tribunal’s investigations into the actions of American soldiers in Afghanistan and the issuance of arrest warrants for key Israeli politicians. Because neither the U.S. nor Israel are parties to the Rome Statute, Washington views the court’s actions as a direct threat to its national sovereignty. Secretary Rubio has further described the ICC as a corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court
that has exceeded its authority.
Proposed Measures Threaten Daily Operations of the ICC
The proposed measures threaten to paralyze the daily operations of the ICC by limiting its access to a significant portion of the dollar financial system. Potential impacts include:
- Blocking transactions through American systems, which could leave global war crimes investigations without funding.
- Prohibiting U.S. citizens and companies from providing goods, services, or funds to the institution without special authorization.
- Disrupting the purchase of insurance, IT services, and the hiring of investigators.
- Affecting the salaries of the court’s approximately 900 employees from roughly 100 countries.
There are further concerns that private companies and banks may terminate their relationships with the ICC to avoid secondary pressure from Washington, potentially hindering witness protection and active investigations.
Institutional Response and Mitigation
The ICC has already begun urgently replacing its technological infrastructure, moving away from American software products in favor of European alternatives. Due to visa barriers, the 25th session of the Assembly of States Parties was moved from New York to the Netherlands.
Dutch representatives, who host the court in The Hague, have been notified of the upcoming measures and are discussing ways to help the court maintain basic functions, such as the detention center, witness protection, and payroll. Human rights defenders and international legal organizations warn that this offensive creates a dangerous precedent for global justice.
These developments follow previous sanctions imposed on August 18 against Senior Prosecutor Abdoulaye Cissé and Court President Tomoko Akane, as well as other judges and prosecutors.