US Defense Secretary Hegseth urges Latin American nations to leave International Criminal Court

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Latin American members of the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition (ACCC) on Wednesday to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of undermining national sovereignty.

“I strongly encourage every ACCC member to leave the ICC and reject their attempts to rob your governments and your courts of your sovereignty,” Hegseth said during remarks in Panama.

He argued that countries should retain the authority to deploy their forces and defend their citizens under their own laws and constitutions.

“Our nations retain our sovereignty and our ability to deploy our own warriors in our own defense,” said Hegseth, who has spearheaded what he calls a “warrior culture” initiative.

“We answer only to our own citizens and our own constitutions, not unelected international bureaucrats.”

He also accused the court of seeking to assert jurisdiction over US and partner military personnel and operations, calling it a “lawless power grab.”

As defense secretary and before, Hegseth has argued that needless rules force US soldiers to fight with “one hand tied behind their back,” stressing that the overriding consideration should be “lethality.”

He pushed for US President Donald Trump to intervene on behalf of service members facing war crimes accusations.

He also announced that Colombia will join the ACCC, adding that Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has asked the US to participate in its fight against narco-terrorism.

“I’m also proud to announce that Colombia will join the ACCC, becoming the 19th member. And through the newly inaugurated president, as our president likes to say, President ‘El Tigre,’ Colombia has already requested that the Department of War join Colombia in its fight against narco-terrorism, authorizing joint military operations to destroy terrorist and terror networks.”

Hegseth’s remarks came as Washington has stepped up its campaign against the ICC. Trump has said Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s efforts to “bring the International Criminal Court to heel” are intended to protect Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others facing scrutiny by the court.

At Camp David last month, Rubio said the ICC had “made themselves illegitimate” by claiming jurisdiction over countries that are not members. Trump then said Rubio is seeking to “defend Bibi and various other people.”

The US is not a party to the ICC and has long opposed its jurisdiction. Washington intensified pressure on the court after it issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes in Gaza.