Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday gave an aggressive speech lambasting international entities that he said weaponize the rule of law to constrain the U.S. as his State Department continues to put pressure on the International Criminal Court.
In a speech at the National Lawyers Convention at the Federalist Society, a conservative legal organization, in Washington, D.C., Mr. Rubio accused international organizations such as the ICC of hypocrisy and demagoguery.
“They’re staunch defenders of democracy, until a particular election challenges their interests,” he said. “They lecture us on the importance of sovereignty, even as they demand that nations surrender control of their borders — and outsource their immigration laws to unelected international courts. They oppose all forms of imperialism, conquest and domination, while seeking to exercise authority over every country and government on Earth.”
People were interested in these podcasts
The U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute, the international treaty that established the ICC in 1998. Mr. Rubio and his allies have long maintained that the entity has no authority to investigate or prosecute U.S. citizens or service members.
Tensions between the Trump administration and the ICC have accelerated significantly following Israel’s war in Gaza. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes in 2024.
Mr. Rubio has also pushed back forcefully against the possible ICC scrutiny of U.S. domestic actions on immigration and counter terrorism, such as the airstrikes on small boats in the Caribbean allegedly carrying illicit narcotics. The secretary announced a “whole-of-government approach” to dismantling and isolating the entity in July.
The administration has also heavily sanctioned and revoked the visas of ICC leadership and officials.
Five nations — Chad, Venezuela, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger — have also formally withdrawn from the ICC following U.S. lobbying.
The administration has reportedly pushed for NATO allies to withdraw from the court. But Europe has thus far resisted such calls and even pushed back against the U.S.’s aggressive actions.
Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the U.K. released a joint letter last month warning of the dangers that the U.S. sanctions could have on the international order.
In his Friday speech, Mr. Rubio tied the Trump administration’s resistance to the ICC and other international entities to the U.S.’s founding principles, adding that the regulations they impose restrict the country’s ambitions.
“It entices us to relinquish responsibility for our own destiny, and relieve ourselves of the burden of greatness — and seek refuge in the glittering generalities of ’international law,’” he said. “The ultimate question of our time is whether Americans have a moral right to exist, as a distinct nation and people — and thus, to demand a government that defends and pursues our interests.”
The address, with its focus on America’s founding principles and history, adds to the growing number of marquee speeches Mr. Rubio has given over the past year, and further speculation about whether he will run for president in 2028.
Following an overwhelming Democratic victory in this month’s midterm elections, some speculated that Mr. Rubio would soon resign his post and prepare for a 2028 presidential run. Two separate reports emerged last week, citing unnamed sources, asserting that Mr. Rubio was considering leaving the State Department.
Mr. Rubio and other State Department officials have denied those reports, saying Mr. Rubio intends to stay.
Contact the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.