US warns ICC against pursuing jurisdiction over Americans
Todd Blanche told the court that any move to prosecute US citizens would violate US sovereignty, extending Washington’s campaign against the tribunal.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
The Trump administration has renewed its attack on the International Criminal Court, warning that any attempt to claim authority over US citizens would be treated as an affront to American sovereignty. The letter, sent to ICC President Tomoko Akane, keeps pressure on a court already facing US sanctions over investigations involving Israel and potential scrutiny of Americans.
Todd Blanche, the acting US attorney general, wrote in a letter dated June 29 and made public Thursday that the court had acted in what he called an “increasingly lawless and illegitimate manner,” according to Al Jazeera. The letter did not announce a new policy, Al Jazeera reported, but it sharpened the administration’s public challenge to the Hague-based tribunal.
Blanche accused the ICC of pursuing inquiries that he said seemed influenced by “political pressure and institutional self-interest” as well as legal considerations. He also restated Washington’s position that the court cannot exercise jurisdiction over Americans, writing that the ICC has “no jurisdiction over U.S. persons — anywhere in the world.”
The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC, and US administrations from both parties have opposed investigations that could implicate American citizens, according to Al Jazeera. Some presidents have shown limited support for the court in other contexts, but the Trump administration has taken a more confrontational stance.
Under Trump, Washington has imposed a series of sanctions on ICC personnel, including judges and senior prosecutors, Al Jazeera reported. The measures also extend to groups or organisations that help investigations involving US citizens or US allies.
In October, the administration used those sanctions to impose economic penalties on three Palestinian rights groups accused of helping ICC investigations into alleged Israeli crimes, according to Al Jazeera. Trump’s February 2025 executive order said the sanctions were tied to court actions targeting “America and our close ally Israel.”
The confrontation has been shaped in part by the ICC’s actions over the war in Gaza. In November 2024, the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes connected to Israel’s war in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported. The court also issued warrants for several senior Hamas officials who have since been killed.
Israel, like the United States, is not a party to the Rome Statute and has rejected the ICC’s authority, according to Al Jazeera. Palestine is a party to the court.
Al Jazeera reported that it was not immediately clear why Blanche sent the letter this week. ICC officials did not publicly respond, though the court has repeatedly defended its investigations.
The letter became public after three ICC judges sued the Trump administration in Manhattan federal court over the sanctions, according to Al Jazeera. The judges argued that the measures amounted to extrajudicial pressure meant to punish and coerce them.
The dispute also follows comments by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who said he would use local authorities to arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli leader visited the city, Al Jazeera reported. Netanyahu has said he still plans to visit New York in the future despite that threat.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.