James S. Robbins
Real Clear World, Feb. 12, 2025
“… while the United States can safely ignore ICC claims of jurisdiction, the ICC could have a harder time escaping American influence.”
President Trump’s executive order placing sanctions on members of the International Criminal Court has met with strong opposition from European and other close allies who regard the ICC as legitimate. But Trump’s move illustrates the difference between claiming to have power and having it.
On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC for engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel” when it “asserted jurisdiction over and opened preliminary investigations concerning personnel of the United States and certain of its allies.” The sanctions could include travel and financial restrictions on ICC officials and their families, or anyone materially supporting their efforts. The first person hit with sanctions was ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan.
The United States is not a party to the 1998 Rome Statute that established the ICC; the Clinton administration signed on briefly in 2000, but by 2002 the U.S. was out. The reasons why are simple; the United States sees no interest in binding itself to an international body that could make decisions that are not in American interests and potentially be a direct assault on U.S. sovereignty. This is also why Russia, China, India, Saudia Arabia, Egypt and Israel, among others, are not signatories…..SOURCE