Trump's Sanctions on the ICC and Russia Deal Show a Rogue Superpower Hostile to the Rule of Law
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial. "The Guardian view on the US, Russia and the international criminal court: Trump’s assault on the rule of law intensifies | Editorial | The Guardian." October 11, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The Guardian argues that Trump is openly treating law as an obstacle, as shown by sanctioning the International Criminal Court while striking a fuel deal with Putin and blaming Ukraine's president for the lack of peace. Because this pattern runs across many of his policies, the editors say the real danger is a US that disregards law, not a rogue court. They urge Europe and other allies to back the court and Ukraine with real action, not just words.
Conclusion
The central problem for international order is not a 'rogue court' but a rogue superpower: Trump's United States is openly and systematically hostile to the rule of law, so the UK, EU and other allies must actively defend the ICC and stand with Ukraine.
Premises
- On the same day, Trump sanctioned the ICC as an institution and announced a diesel purchase deal with Russia, whose leader Putin is subject to an ICC arrest warrant.
- Trump has said that 'my own morality' is the only thing constraining him, and Rubio has threatened that 'Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC.'
- Trump blames Zelenskyy rather than Putin for the lack of a peace deal, although Putin launched the illegal war and his troops continue to attack civilians.
- Using measures designed to target human rights abusers and war criminals against those who seek to defend their victims is perverse.
- Other actions (the war on Iran, the kidnapping of Venezuela's president, extrajudicial killings of alleged drug traffickers, and threats over Greenland and Canada) show the hostility to law is broad and unbounded, and that allies are not safe.
- Institutions defending universal principles, such as the ICC, are under increasing pressure and cannot stand alone, so they need concrete backing such as blocking statutes against sanctions.
Assumptions
- The ICC's warrants and investigations (Putin, Netanyahu, Gallant, Afghanistan) are legitimate applications of international law rather than politically motivated.
- The characterization of the Iran war, the Venezuela operation and the Caribbean strikes as unlawful is correct.
- A consistent pattern of actions reveals a general principle ('might is right') rather than separate, case-specific policy decisions.
- Allies have the capacity and political will to counter US pressure through measures like blocking statutes.
- Upholding a rules-based international order is a goal worth the diplomatic and economic costs of confronting the US.
- Trump's own statements reflect his actual governing philosophy.