US President Donald Trump says the Trump administration’s campaign against the International Criminal Court (ICC) is aimed at protecting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “various other people.” Trump made the comments during a cabinet meeting at Camp David. He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio is “trying to defend Bibi and various other people,” while Rubio told the meeting that the United States has begun an effort to “bring them to heel.” Rubio also said earlier US attempts to push the ICC to reform had failed.
The remarks come weeks after Rubio announced a US effort to “dismantle” the ICC. According to the reports, Rubio frames the ICC as pursuing targets even when states are not members, and the court’s jurisdiction is a central point of dispute. The ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and it can exercise jurisdiction when member states are unwilling or unable to prosecute. The United States and Israel are not members of the ICC.
In related commentary cited by one outlet, Rubio also indicates that US service members could be at risk under the ICC’s approach to jurisdiction.
