European Leaders Defy Trump's Call for Nations to Leave International Criminal Court

European leaders are publicly rejecting President Donald Trump's demand that nations "immediately" resign from the International Criminal Court (ICC), signaling a united front in support of the global judicial body. Trump has intensified efforts to dismantle the court, which he argues oversteps its authority and has no jurisdiction over U.S. citizens.

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin declared at the United Nations General Assembly that Ireland "strongly opposes efforts to undermine the court." Referencing the conflict in Ukraine, he stated, "There can be no impunity for war crimes... that is why Ireland is a steadfast supporter of the International Criminal Court," urging the withdrawal of all "measures against it."

Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten echoed this sentiment, noting the court has "come under attack." He questioned the opposition to prosecuting egregious crimes and urged a response of "hands off' the ICC, and all those other institutions that protect the international legal order."

The ICC, established by the Rome Statute in 2002 and ratified by 125 countries, is the world's highest criminal court. Neither the U.S. nor Israel are signatories to the Rome Statute.

Trump's criticisms of the ICC date back to his first term. In 2018, he asserted the court lacked "no jurisdiction, no legitimacy, and no authority" and vowed "never to surrender America’s sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable, global bureaucracy." His administration previously issued sanctions against ICC personnel in 2020 over an investigation into alleged U.S. actions in Afghanistan. These sanctions were later revoked by President Joe Biden in 2021.

More recently, the Trump administration's disputes have centered on the ICC's investigation into possible Israeli war crimes in Gaza, which led to arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024. In February 2025, shortly after returning to office, Trump declared a "national emergency" and imposed sanctions on the ICC for what he termed "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel." In August 2026, the State Department imposed sanctions on ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye. The ICC denounced these sanctions as "a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution."

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul directly responded to Trump's call, stating, "We will, of course, not be doing that," and described the court as "an important institution" where there is a "regrettable difference in policy from the U.S. Administration."

European Council President Antonio Costa affirmed the European Union's "firm" backing for the ICC, deeming it "unacceptable to threaten or attack the International Criminal Court, its officials, and its staff."

The only nation to publicly align with Trump's call at the U.N. assembly was the microstate of Naoero (formerly Nauru), whose President David Adeang announced a formal withdrawal from the Rome Statute, citing the ICC's "increasing irrelevance." U.S. Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael DeSombre supported this move, stating Naoero was "standing up for their sovereignty against the ICC’s illegitimate overreach."

Experts note that withdrawal from the ICC is a lengthy process, taking at least a year to become effective after notification. States remain obligated to cooperate with proceedings initiated before their departure until the withdrawal is finalized. Several other states, including Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Venezuela, and Chad, have also initiated withdrawal procedures, though legal experts consider these departures serious but not fatal to the court's existence.

Hungary had previously moved to withdraw under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, but its current government under Péter Magyar reversed that decision, signaling a renewed commitment to the ICC.