US Urged NATO Allies to Dismantle International Criminal Court

The United States attempted to rally its NATO allies to systematically dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, according to a report by Politico citing three NATO diplomats. U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, urged member states to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the court's founding document, and cease all support for it during a closed-door meeting of ambassadors in Brussels in mid-July. Whitaker warned allies that the U.S. would "closely watch who stands with America."

A document circulated by the U.S. delegation stated, "The United States will systematically dismantle the capabilities of the International Criminal Court" and called for immediate steps to withdraw from the Rome Statute. The U.S. also asked allies to publicly condemn the court's alleged overreach and cease all material support.

The U.S. campaign against the ICC stems from concerns that American officials and soldiers could be prosecuted for war crimes. The court had opened an investigation into alleged crimes by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan in 2020, though it was later deprioritized. Washington's actions also come amid ICC proceedings against Israeli officials, including arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The U.S. recently imposed sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane.

NATO itself is not a party to the Rome Statute, but all members except the U.S. and Turkey are signatories. The U.S. initiative met resistance during the meeting, with France and the Netherlands defending the court and stating their intention to continue support. One diplomat described Whitaker's remarks as "quite shocking," while another called them "disappointing."

The U.S. has also pursued this demand in bilateral talks with European nations, with the State Department warning of increased scrutiny for countries that refuse to renounce the court's "false authority" while relying on U.S. aid. This diplomatic push occurs amid broader tensions between the U.S. and its European allies over various issues, including responses to Iran and previous U.S. threats regarding Greenland.