According to a report by the Financial Times, President Donald Trump suggested that the United States, China, and Russia should unite against the International Criminal Court (ICC) during closed-door talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last week. The proposal came up during wide-ranging conversations between the two leaders. Trump has long been a critic of the ICC, accusing it of overreach and politicization.
Trump has repeatedly denied that the ICC has the right to investigate US officials, including those who served in Afghanistan. The court has also been investigating international crimes allegedly committed by US and Israeli officials, which has put it at odds with the Trump administration. Additionally, the ICC requested the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin for the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children, which further angered Trump.
The Financial Times report says that Xi responded to the proposal with little enthusiasm, expressing concerns about the potential consequences of such an alliance. However, the Chinese leader did not completely rule out the possibility of working together with Trump on the issue.
Trump’s push against the ICC signals a serious threat to global accountability
The proposal has drawn strong reactions from human rights experts and lawyers. “This is a brazen attempt by Trump to destroy international institutions and undermine the rule of law,” said Reed Brody, an American lawyer specializing in war crimes.
“The ICC is a vital institution that holds leaders accountable for their actions, and Trump is trying to destroy it.” This comes amid an already tense relationship between the two powers, with Xi previously describing the US as a nation in decline during earlier exchanges with Washington.
The ICC is an independent, permanent court that investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. It was established in 2002 and has jurisdictional reach covering over 125 states. It is the only international court that can prosecute individuals for such crimes.
The court has faced pressure from the US government in recent years. In 2025, Trump imposed sanctions on 11 ICC officials, including the chief prosecutor and eight judges. The court has also been criticized for its slow pace of justice and lack of resources. Trump’s aggressive foreign policy posture has not been limited to the ICC, as he has also issued stark warnings to Iran over its nuclear program, signaling a broader confrontational approach on the world stage.
Despite these challenges, the ICC has delivered notable verdicts over the years. In 2012, it sentenced Thomas Lubanga to 14 years in prison for the war crime of using child soldiers. In 2021, a 25-year sentence was handed down to Dominic Ongwen, a former child soldier and one of the commanders of the Lord’s Liberation Army.
Ligeia Quackelbeen, an expert in international criminal law at Tilburg University, noted that “The ICC has been redefining its role within the global justice system, and is increasingly supporting national courts in their efforts to prosecute the perpetrators of international crimes.” European countries have also pledged to continue working with the ICC despite pressure from the US, showing broad international backing for the court.
Published: May 19, 2026 10:45 am