US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the International Criminal Court, branding it a “stupid organisation” run by “lunatics and crazies.”

Speaking in Manila during the ASEAN meetings, Rubio reiterated Washington’s refusal to accept the court’s jurisdiction over American citizens and officials. He stressed that the United States had never signed the Rome Statute and therefore was not bound by the ICC’s authority.

Rubio argued that the ICC was overstepping its mandate by attempting to prosecute individuals from non-member states. He warned that the court had entertained discussions about charging US military personnel and even American presidents, which he dismissed as unacceptable.

He insisted that such actions would never be tolerated and that Washington had repeatedly warned the ICC against pursuing this path.

He declared that if other nations wished to participate in what he described as a “stupid organisation,” they were free to do so, but the United States would not allow its jurisdiction to be applied to Americans. Rubio emphasised that the US position was firm both now and in the future, and that consequences would follow if the ICC ignored these warnings.

His remarks came shortly after the US State Department announced a sweeping campaign to dismantle what it described as the ICC’s threat to American sovereignty. In a media note issued on 13 July, the department revealed that Rubio had initiated a “whole-of-government response” designed to systematically disable the ICC’s ability to operate against US servicemen or officials.

The statement characterised the ICC as an “intolerable threat” to sovereignty, accusing it of claiming authority to prosecute and imprison Americans despite the United States never joining the Rome Statute.

It highlighted that the court had previously opened investigations into US servicemen and intelligence officers, portraying the ICC as an unaccountable global arbiter and a supranational enforcement arm of a globalist bureaucracy.

The State Department outlined a range of measures under consideration. These included urging allies and partners to reject the ICC’s claimed authority over Americans, scrutinising countries that continue to support the court while benefiting from US assistance, and encouraging coordination among other non-Rome Statute states. It also mentioned the possibility of imposing visa restrictions, travel bans, and sanctions on ICC personnel and affiliated organisations.

Rubio’s comments reflect a continuation of longstanding US opposition to the ICC, rooted in concerns that the court undermines national sovereignty and could be used politically against American interests. His remarks in Manila underscore Washington’s determination to resist any attempt by the ICC to extend its jurisdiction to US citizens and officials.

ANI