Four leading US human rights groups on August 11 filed a lawsuit against the administration of Donald Trump over its campaign to undermine the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling these efforts unconstitutional.
The US President Donald Trump in 2025 issued an executive order that allowed for sanctions to be imposed against prosecutors, judges, and other individuals cooperating with the court in cases against officials of the USA and their ally Israel, even though neither of these countries is a member of the ICC.
The groups Human Rights Watch, Open Society Institute, American Friends Service Committee, and Center for Constitutional Rights stated in their lawsuit, filed in New York, that these sanctions hinder their cooperation with the court to seek justice in cases of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity worldwide.
Lawsuit against the sanctions regime
The plaintiffs demand the termination of this sanctions regime, which, according to them, “exceeds the president’s authority and violates international law and US legislation, including the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion”, — stated in a statement by the lead attorney Andrew Lowenstein from the law firm Foley Hoag, which represents the human rights groups.
This lawsuit was filed after a similar lawsuit was filed in July by human rights groups working to protect the rights of Palestinians. In response, the State Department stated that these groups seek to “allow the ICC to exceed its authority” and that the court poses a threat to the sovereignty of the USA. Separately, three ICC judges also filed lawsuits against the Trump administration over the sanctions.
History of confrontation and further plans
Trump’s confrontation with the ICC dates back to his first presidential term. A similar executive order issued by Trump in 2020 was blocked by a judge who stated that it likely violates the First Amendment to the US Constitution. In 2021, the administration of President Joe Biden revoked this order.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio in July reported that the administration would intensify efforts to undermine the ICC’s activities in The Hague, including through a diplomatic campaign aimed at convincing other countries to leave the court. Rubio claimed that the ICC poses a threat to American personnel implementing Trump’s tough immigration policy, as well as to US military personnel, including those who strike at vessels accused of transporting drugs.
During a Cabinet meeting on July 31, responding to Rubio’s report, Trump stated that the campaign is aimed at protecting Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and others, not at protecting Trump himself.
Source: The Straits Times
