Trump jokes he's not yet an ICC target amid U.S. campaign against court

President Donald Trump lightheartedly suggested he might become a target of the International Criminal Court (ICC), even as his administration spearheads a campaign to undermine the global judicial body. "By the way, there’s no information that they’re after me," Trump said Friday, adding with a laugh, "but it could happen."

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By the way, there’s no information that they’re after me, but it could happen.

The remarks came during a cabinet meeting at Camp David, where top diplomat Marco Rubio was reiterating American opposition to the ICC. Trump, interrupting Rubio, noted that the court was pursuing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an ICC arrest warrant. "He’s not trying to defend me. He is trying to defend Bibi and various other people," the president stated.

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He’s not trying to defend me. He is trying to defend Bibi and various other people.

The U.S. launched a significant diplomatic push against the ICC in mid-July, threatening new sanctions and urging member nations to withdraw. The court, established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes when national authorities cannot or will not, has long been at odds with the U.S., which is not a party to the Rome Statute that created it. Some ICC judges are already under U.S. sanctions.

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We tried to get them to reform and listen to us. They wouldn’t do it. They’re very arrogant. We’ve now begun an effort to really try to bring that court to heel.

Rubio described the ICC as an "illegitimate international organization" and criticized its refusal to reform. "We’ve now begun an effort to really try to bring that court to heel," he said, noting that Chad and Venezuela have recently announced their withdrawal, with others expected to follow.

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an illegitimate international organization.