US Representative Ilhan Omar has pushed back against President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Ilhan Omar ICC resolution instead calls on the United States to join the tribunal.
The move came just days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to dismantle the ICC “brick by brick, if necessary,” using all the tools at the government’s disposal.
What the Resolution Would DoOmar’s resolution, introduced on Wednesday, calls on the US to join the ICC by ratifying the Rome Statute, the court’s founding document. The resolution would also pressure the Trump administration to lift the sanctions and visa restrictions it has placed on court officials.
Omar, a former child refugee from Somalia, argued in a statement this week that joining the court would be a step toward fortifying the rule of law around the world. “If we truly believe in human rights and the rule of law, we should strengthen international justice, not undermine it,” Omar said.
“The United States should lead by example and show that no one is above the law. “Why the Trump Administration Opposes the ICC The Trump administration has lashed out at the ICC over its investigations of US and Israeli personnel. Neither the US nor Israel is a signatory to the Rome Statute, and neither recognises the court’s authority, though both countries have faced accusations of human rights abuses in countries that are ICC member states.
The ICC, for example, has investigated Israel over war crimes in Gaza, issuing arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024. Multiple experts, including at the United Nations, have concluded that Israel’s war on Gaza amounted to genocide against Palestinians.
The US, meanwhile, has been investigated for war crimes committed in Afghanistan following the 2001 invasion, as well as at alleged “black sites” where prisoners were held.
Rubio Vows to “Systematically Disable” the CourtDuring his first term, and continuing into his second, Trump has taken action against the ICC and its officials to penalise those involved in such investigations. Over the past year, multiple ICC prosecutors and judges have faced sanctions, as have rights groups that provided evidence in court.
On Monday, Rubio escalated the rhetoric, accusing the court in a video statement of waging a war against the US, not with bullets or missiles, but with statutes, compacts and what he called the force of so-called international law.
The State Department announced a “whole-of-government response” to weaken the court, saying the administration would work to systematically disable it. Steps under consideration include appealing to countries that partner with the US military and law enforcement to reject the ICC’s authority to prosecute American officials and servicemen, increased scrutiny of nations that rely on US assistance while refusing to reject the court’s authority, and expanded sanctions and travel bans for individuals and organisations affiliated with the court.
Trump first sanctioned court officials in 2020 over the Afghanistan investigation, before then-President Joe Biden lifted the measures.Omar Calls Rubio’s Announcement “Reckless and Dangerous”On Monday, Omar criticised Rubio’s announcement, calling it reckless and dangerous. “I have seen firsthand that impunity breeds more violence,” she wrote, voicing her support for the court’s work. “The ICC is a crucial tool for justice when victims have nowhere else to turn.
“The resolution comes as two US advocacy groups sue the Trump administration, arguing that the president’s sanctions have forced them to halt constitutionally protected work.
Both groups have supported the court’s investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory, and say their activity is protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
