|
Listen to article
|
President Donald Trump joked Friday that he is not yet a target of the International Criminal Court (ICC), as his government wages a campaign against the institution, urging member nations to withdraw.
“By the way, there’s no information that they’re after me,” but “it could happen,” Trump said to laughs from cabinet members gathered at the Camp David presidential retreat, interrupting top diplomat Marco Rubio as he reiterated American opposition to the court.
“He’s not trying to defend me. He is trying to defend Bibi and various other people,” the president said, using a nickname for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the subject of a 2024 ICC arrest warrant.
Read Also: President Trump Backtracks On Plan To Toll Hormuz Ships
In mid-July, the United Sates launched a major diplomatic offensive against the court — a long-standing bete noir accused of threatening Americans — promising new sanctions and calling for partners to quit.
Relations between the Trump administration and the court, which is based in The Hague, are extremely poor, with some judges already subject to US sanctions.
Established in 2002, the ICC is responsible for prosecuting perpetrators of the world’s most serious crimes when nations lack the will or capacity to do so themselves.
But Rubio said Friday that the court is “an illegitimate international organization.”
Neither Israel nor the United States are party to the international treaty that established the ICC.
“We tried to get them to reform and listen to us. They wouldn’t do it. They’re very arrogant. We’ve now begun an effort to really try to bring that court to heel,” said Rubio, noting that five countries had withdrawn or planned to do so and that others should follow.
Chad and Venezuela have both recently announced their withdrawal from the ICC.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday abruptly scrapped a planned 20 percent levy on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid clashes with Iran, saying he would instead seek compensation from Gulf allies via trade deals.
“Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
He said he would continue with a “FULL Blockade” on ships coming to and from Iranian ports, set to restart at 2000 GMT Tuesday, or ships carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo.
Read Also: You Want Friendship After Iran Defeat – PM Meloni Blasts Trump
Tehran largely closed the narrow Strait of Hormuz, a key global waterway for oil and gas, after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
It began to reopen after a ceasefire deal in June, but has once again become the focus of military action after the truce effectively broke down last week.
Trump had declared on Monday that Washington was now “THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT” and would impose hefty fees on shipping to reimburse it for protecting it — while giving few details of the plan.
That announcement caused oil prices to spike and alarmed allies — especially given that the United States has previously slammed Iran for its own plans to charge shipping fees for the Strait.
But the US leader said on Tuesday that he had changed his mind after speaking to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
“I put it out yesterday, I thought it was good. I was called by different people, different countries — kings, emirs, and all of the people that we all know and we all love,” Trump told reporters as he hosted Iraq’s new prime minister in the Oval Office.
