Rubio warns ICC against ‘quoting laws to men with swords’
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the International Criminal Court against 'quoting laws to men with swords' in a speech to the Federalist Society, accusing the court of weaponizing international law as a tool of the elite. His remarks came a month after the US announced new sanctions on the ICC.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the International Criminal Court against 'quoting laws to men with swords' in a speech to the Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention on Friday. Rubio accused the ICC of weaponizing international law as a tool of the global elite, and cautioned the court against trying to enforce rules Washington does not recognize. His remarks came about a month after the US announced new sanctions on the ICC, vowing to cripple its operations. The court prosecutes individuals for grave atrocities as a last resort when countries lack adequate legal systems. The US signed but never ratified the Rome Statute establishing the ICC; Israel, Russia and China are also not members. Rubio said international law had been invoked against nearly every major foreign policy decision of the Trump administration. He called the ICC accountable to no one but armed with power to investigate and prosecute US citizens. The venue of the speech, a conservative legal gathering, fueled speculation about Rubio's political ambitions beyond his foreign policy role.