The United States announced its withdrawal from the Rome Statute on Thursday, becoming the first country to formally exit the International Criminal Court in response to the ICC prosecutor's issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas officials.
The decision, announced by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, reflects the administration's strong opposition to the ICC's jurisdiction over U.S. allies. The move is largely symbolic since the United States never ratified the treaty but joined as an observer state.
"The ICC's actions regarding Israel represent a dangerous politicization of justice that undermines the Court's credibility and legitimacy," Blinken said in a statement. "The United States cannot be associated with an institution that applies standards of justice selectively based on political considerations."
The ICC prosecutor has issued warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and several Hamas leaders, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict. The warrants have triggered international controversy.
European allies have expressed concern about the U.S. withdrawal, with the European Union calling the decision "counterproductive to the goal of advancing international justice." Human rights organizations have criticized both the ICC warrants and the U.S. response.
The withdrawal does not affect U.S. obligations under international humanitarian law and does not prevent the ICC from exercising jurisdiction over nationals of non-party states in certain circumstances.