Britain’s Bar Standards Board upheld Karim Khan’s suspension after a hearing last week, keeping the 56-year-old ICC chief prosecutor barred from practicing law in the UK during disciplinary proceedings.
The move stems from sexual-misconduct allegations involving a female aide; Khan denies wrongdoing, and the ICC oversight body’s executive committee has already recommended his removal for serious misconduct.
July 24 is the next key date, when the Assembly of States Parties will meet in New York to decide whether to remove Khan from office.
At the same time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington will press the ICC’s 125 member states to withdraw, add sanctions on groups working with the court and bar staff travel to the US.
The twin pressures deepen a crisis for the Hague-based court, with the EU backing diplomatic, legal and financial steps to keep ICC operations running despite sanctions already hitting staff access to banking and travel.
With its top prosecutor suspended, can the ICC survive America's campaign to dismantle it brick by brick?
As the US pressures allies to exit the ICC, can a new legal precedent stop leaders from evading justice?
If the world's only permanent war crimes court collapses, who will prosecute future atrocities by powerful nations?
Marco Rubio’s 2026 Vow to Destroy the ICC: The US Assault on International Accountability
Overview
In July 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC), marking a sharp escalation in the Trump administration’s long-running conflict with the court. This move followed years of rising tension, including sanctions on ICC officials investigating alleged US and allied war crimes, and a lawsuit by ICC judges challenging these sanctions. The US frames the ICC as a threat to its sovereignty and security, using sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and strong rhetoric to weaken the court. These actions have drawn global criticism, deepened international divides, and raised concerns about the future of international justice.