Trump Launches Fierce Attack on ICC, Urges Global Withdrawal

Trump Launches Fierce Attack on ICC, Urges Global Withdrawal

By TheNATIONWEEK.com News Desk | September 24, 2026

UNITED NATIONS, New York – In a fiery address at the United Nations, U.S. President Donald Trump launched an unprecedented assault on the International Criminal Court (ICC), urging all member nations to abandon the global judicial body. Denouncing the ICC as an “out-of-control institution” and a “rogue” entity, Trump’s remarks signaled a dramatic escalation in the United States’ long-standing opposition to the court.

Speaking before a global audience, Trump declared, “The United States is equally opposed to the out-of-control institution known as the International Criminal Court.” He then issued a direct demand: “I call on all nations that are members of the ICC to officially resign from this rogue institution immediately.”

This forceful declaration follows a sustained campaign by the U.S. administration against the ICC, including punitive sanctions targeting the court’s officials. These measures were reportedly triggered by the ICC’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a key U.S. ally. The U.S. has framed the ICC’s actions as an intolerable threat to its national sovereignty.

Indeed, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had previously vowed to dismantle the ICC “brick by brick,” underscoring Washington’s animosity towards the body, which is tasked with prosecuting individuals for the world’s most heinous crimes.

In his September 22 address, Trump reaffirmed the U.S.’s unwavering stance: “Washington would never allow U.S. service members or anyone else to be investigated or given show trials by an anti-American tribunal with no jurisdiction over us.” This statement reiterates the core argument that, as a non-member state that has never ratified the Rome Statute establishing the court, the U.S. does not recognize the ICC’s authority over its citizens.

The United States stands alongside other significant global powers, including Israel, Russia, and China, in its refusal to join the ICC. Trump’s latest pronouncement at the UN signals a renewed push to undermine the court’s legitimacy and influence on the international stage, potentially sparking a diplomatic ripple effect among its member states.

President Trump’s assertive rhetoric at the UN underscores a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over international justice, sovereignty, and the future of global accountability.