The Trump administration's stance on the International Criminal Court reflects a long-standing U.S. position that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over Americans and that international institutions should not infringe on U.S. sovereignty.
Earlier in 2025, the administration took steps to limit its involvement in international institutions, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, the World Health Organization, and the UN Human Rights Council, and ending funding for UNRWA.
The Trump administration has also opposed multilateral agreements led by the United States, viewing them as a loss of sovereignty. The USMCA, a trade pact signed by Trump during his first term, is a prime example of this stance.
On July 1, 2026, the Trump administration declined to renew the USMCA in its current form, triggering a 10-year countdown of mandatory annual reviews leading to its scheduled expiration in 2036.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has stated that Trump is considering full withdrawal from the agreement, although any formal exit would require six months' notice and congressional consent due to the agreement's congressionally approved status.
The United States has never ratified the Rome Statute or subjected itself to the ICC, providing context for the Trump administration's actions against the court.
In this context, the Trump administration's actions against the ICC are consistent with the past 80 years of U.S. foreign policy, which has emphasized U.S. sovereignty and limited international involvement.
