EXCLUSIVE: Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised by Senate Republicans for taking on “corrupt” ICC

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is drawing praise from Senate Republicans after launching a major Trump administration campaign against the International Criminal Court, arguing the tribunal poses a direct threat to U.S. sovereignty and should not be permitted to assert jurisdiction over American citizens or military personnel.

Rubio this week unveiled a sweeping diplomatic effort to isolate the ICC, including additional sanctions, visa restrictions and pressure on foreign governments to reject the court’s claims of authority over Americans. In an accompanying video and opinion piece, Rubio argued the ICC has become “radical and extreme” and warned that unelected international prosecutors are attempting to exercise power over the United States despite America never joining the Rome Statute that created the court. He pledged that the Trump administration would “teach the ICC the full meaning of American resolve” and prevent it from targeting Americans and U.S. allies.

The effort quickly received backing from leading Senate Republicans who have long opposed the ICC.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.), one of Congress’s most outspoken critics of the court, praised Rubio’s actions.

“Secretary Rubio is absolutely right and I commend him for taking on the corrupt global bureaucrats who want to prosecute American soldiers,” Cotton said.

“The ICC is corrupt to its core and a direct threat to our sovereignty.

“The Trump Administration is right to push back.”

Cotton has repeatedly argued that the ICC lacks any legitimate authority over the United States because the U.S. is not a party to the treaty establishing the court.

Sen. Mike Lee (R., Utah) also endorsed Rubio’s campaign.

“Outstanding. President Trump and Secretary Rubio are right to squash the ICC’s extralegal pretension to authority over American citizens,” Lee wrote.

“Congress should pass the ICC Out of NYC Act I introduced with @chiproytx last year & kick them from our shores permanently.”

Lee’s legislation would remove the ICC’s United Nations liaison office from New York, further escalating congressional opposition to the court.

Republican criticism of the ICC has intensified since the court pursued investigations involving U.S. personnel and later issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials. Rubio has argued those actions demonstrate the court has moved well beyond its intended mission of prosecuting the world’s worst atrocities and instead has become a political institution willing to challenge democratic governments that never accepted its jurisdiction.

The Trump administration’s latest initiative marks one of the most aggressive U.S. campaigns ever mounted against the ICC. According to Reuters, the administration is encouraging allies to reject the court’s authority while expanding sanctions and other penalties against officials connected to its efforts targeting the United States and Israel.

For many congressional Republicans, Rubio’s announcement represents a continuation of a longstanding principle: that decisions involving American service members, government officials and national security should remain under the authority of the United States rather than an international tribunal they view as lacking democratic accountability.