Key facts
- The U.S. Department of Justice has formally rejected the International Criminal Court's (ICC) jurisdiction over American citizens.
- The U.S. will not cooperate with any ICC investigations, inquiries, summons, or proceedings.
- President Trump issued an executive order imposing sanctions on ICC officials.
- The sanctions include blocking property and assets and suspending entry into the U.S. for ICC personnel.
- The U.S. argues that as a non-party to the Rome Statute, the ICC has no authority over Americans.
The United States has declared it will not cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and rejects its jurisdiction over Americans. In a letter to the ICC President, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute and has never consented to the court's authority, deeming any attempt to assert such authority illegitimate and an affront to U.S. sovereignty.
President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency to address the ICC's actions, which he described as "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel." The order imposes sanctions on ICC officials, including blocking their property and assets and barring their entry into the United States. The administration cited the American Servicemembers’ Protection Act of 2002, which prohibits cooperation with the ICC and authorizes the President to secure the release of any U.S. person detained by the court.
The U.S. government views the ICC's actions, including preliminary investigations into U.S. and Israeli personnel and arrest warrants for Israeli officials, as a dangerous precedent that threatens U.S. personnel and national security. The Justice Department emphasized its commitment to defending national sovereignty and protecting U.S. persons against what it called unlawful international overreach.