Washington, September 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
US President Donald Trump has called on all countries that are members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to withdraw from the tribunal, describing it as a “rogue institution” and saying it has no authority over the United States or its military personnel.
Trump made the remarks during his address to the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, as he launched a broader criticism of international institutions and regulations that he said undermine national sovereignty. Reuters also reported that Trump urged all ICC member states to resign from the court immediately.
“I call on all nations that are members of the ICC to officially resign from this rogue institution immediately,” Trump said.
He said the United States would not accept investigations or trials involving American service members or other US citizens.
“We will never allow US service members or anyone else to be investigated or given show trials by an anti-American tribunal with no jurisdiction over us,” he said.
Trump described the ICC as an “out-of-control institution” and its officials as “an evil group of people”.
His criticism of the court formed part of a wider argument against international organisations and regulations that he said infringed on national sovereignty.
“There is no global government,” Trump said. “And while I’m President, there will be no global taxes.”
Trump also said his administration had worked with other countries on what he described as the most extensive reforms in UN history.
“We cut the UN budget for the first time ever, slashing it by 15 per cent in 2026 and eliminating more than 4,000 positions from the UN bureaucracy,” he said.
He said the United Nations had “great, great potential” but accused unelected officials of pursuing what he called a far-left global agenda.
Trump also criticised the International Maritime Organization, a UN agency responsible for regulating international shipping. He said his administration had intervened to prevent the organisation from establishing what he described as the first global carbon tax, claiming the proposal could have increased international shipping costs by 10 to 20 per cent or more.
On immigration, Trump said there was no human right to enter another country illegally and argued that nations had the right to protect their sovereignty.
“There is no human right to illegal immigration, but there is a right to remain a sovereign nation, and we want to remain a sovereign nation, and so should you,” he said.
The US President also criticised UNESCO, accusing international officials of promoting mass migration while claiming to protect cultural heritage.
The ICC was established under the Rome Statute and began operating in 2002. It investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression in circumstances provided for under its founding treaty.
The court currently has 125 states parties. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute and has long opposed the court’s exercise of jurisdiction over US personnel without American consent.
Washington’s objections to the ICC have continued under both Republican and Democratic administrations, although the level of confrontation has varied.
Trump’s latest remarks come amid an intensified US campaign against the court. Reuters reported that the Trump administration was also preparing broader sanctions targeting the ICC and its personnel.
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