Trump Moves to Dismantle ICC 'Brick by Brick'

Donald Trump’s administration has announced a campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court “brick by brick”, stepping up pressure on the court and on countries that continue to work with it.

The US move comes amid a wider retreat from parts of the post-war international framework. The administration has pulled funding from dozens of international institutions, shut down USAID, and withdrew from the Paris climate agreement. It has also signalled it would not automatically come to the aid of allies under attack, and the article says the “Board of Peace” is intended to sideline the United Nations.

US drive against the ICC

Last week, the US State Department said it wants to break up the ICC’s authority and infrastructure. It said the approach would involve “increased scrutiny” of countries that do not reject what it called the ICC’s “false authority” while still receiving US assistance, with particular focus on states that benefit from the US “security umbrella”.

The policy is set out as official US action rather than an informal threat. The article describes it as a sustained effort backed by planning and enforcement, rather than a short-lived political message.

Sanctions aimed at judges, officials and partners

Travel restrictions and sanctions have already been imposed on judges and senior court officials, and further measures are expected.

The article says individuals targeted by sanctions can find themselves cut off from key parts of daily life and commerce. It cites examples such as personal bank accounts being closed and a range of US-based services becoming inaccessible, including ride-hailing and booking platforms. It also notes that email access can be blocked because major providers are based in the United States, and says the court may need to shift or back up evidence stored on Microsoft systems.

The campaign also includes cooperation with other countries outside the ICC, and the article says this could align the US with states such as Russia and China.

UK role and the court’s internal crisis

As one of the court’s major backers, the United Kingdom is likely to be among the countries drawn into the US scrutiny. The article says the UK contributes just over £15m a year and is the fourth largest donor after Japan, Germany and France.

The ICC’s vulnerabilities are also internal. The article reports that two women, including an ICC staff member, have accused Karim Khan, the court’s chief prosecutor, of sexual abuse. It says the ICC’s executive committee voted last month to suspend him after concluding he committed serious misconduct, though Khan denies wrongdoing. The court’s 125 member states are due to vote this Friday on whether to remove him from office.

The article also cites criticism of the ICC’s record. It says the court has struggled with major cases, including those involving Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, accused over Kenya’s post-election violence in 2007-08. It adds that as the ICC delayed, witnesses disappeared and the cases collapsed after Kenyatta and Ruto later won elections.

The article says these weaknesses may make it harder for the court’s supporters to defend it. It argues that even so, the ICC’s existence continues to affect perceptions and decision-making by keeping arrest risks and indictments in play for senior figures, including figures such as Israel’s prime minister and Russia’s president, and it notes that Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, is on trial for crimes against humanity.

It also references Luis Moreno Ocampo, the ICC’s first chief prosecutor, who said the administration views the court as a barrier and fears it could become a target after leaving office.

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25 July 2026