The Trump administration has launched a renewed effort to challenge the authority of the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing that the Hague-based tribunal poses a threat to American sovereignty.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday that Washington is taking steps to dismantle what the administration describes as the ICC's overreach, reaffirming the longstanding US position that the court should not have jurisdiction over American citizens or military personnel.

The move reflects a policy that has been championed by President Trump and several previous US leaders, including former President George W. Bush, who have consistently maintained that the ICC lacks the authority to investigate or prosecute US nationals without the consent of the United States.

Washington has long rejected the court's jurisdiction because the US is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. Successive administrations have argued that allowing the tribunal to pursue cases involving American officials or service members would undermine US sovereignty and national security.

According to a Reuters report, the Trump administration supported sanctions against ICC officials in part to deter any future efforts by the court to investigate or hold President Trump or members of his administration accountable for US military operations conducted overseas.

The administration has maintained that US military personnel are already subject to the American judicial system and should not face prosecution by an international body that the United States has not joined.

The latest initiative underscores Washington's continuing opposition to the ICC's jurisdiction over US citizens and signals that the administration intends to pursue additional measures aimed at limiting the court's influence over American officials and military operations abroad. (ILKHA)