Trump urges all ICC member states to withdraw from court at UN General Assembly

September 22, 2026 at 09:28 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday called on all member states of the International Criminal Court to withdraw from the tribunal, describing it as an institution that has "spun out of control." Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, he said Washington would not allow American service members to face a "show trial" before an anti-American tribunal. The appeal came as the U.S. has already sanctioned ICC officials and launched a broader campaign against the court.

Key Facts

Trump called the ICC "an institution that has spun out of control" and "a group of people doing evil."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on 18 August against ICC President Tomoko Akane and Senior Prosecutor Abdoulaye Seye.
The U.S. launched a large-scale campaign against the ICC on 13 July, accusing the Hague court of creating an "unacceptable threat to U.S. sovereignty."
Trump said the U.S. is working closely with the leadership of Russia and Ukraine and that the conflict will be resolved "faster than many think."
Cuban representatives walked out of the General Assembly hall before Trump finished his speech, after he called Cuba a "completely failed state."

ICC Withdrawal Appeal

Trump urged all ICC member states to "immediately formally terminate their membership" in the court. He said Washington will not allow U.S. service members to face a "show trial" before an anti-American tribunal. The U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, along with Russia and Israel.

U.S. Sanctions Campaign

Rubio said the sanctioned ICC officials were directly involved in efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials of states that do not recognize the court's jurisdiction. The sanctions bar the individuals from entering the United States and from conducting transactions through the U.S. financial system. The State Department said the ICC had opened investigations into American service members and intelligence personnel and refused to close those cases.

Ukraine and Cuba Remarks

Trump said the U.S. is working closely with Russian and Ukrainian leadership on the war in Ukraine. He mentioned the recently passed "Lindsey Graham law" that allows him to expand sanctions against Russia and promised to use them if necessary. Cuban representatives left the hall after Trump called Cuba a "completely failed state" that is "failing like never before."