Hegseth calls ICC 'fake' court, urges ACCC allies to quit
Synopsis
Pete Hegseth stood before a 19-nation security coalition in Panama and told them to quit the ICC — calling it 'fake and illegitimate' — while unveiling new joint military partnerships with Colombia, Jamaica, Honduras, and Guatemala. It is one of Washington's sharpest direct attacks on the court's authority in years, and it lands squarely in the laps of Latin American nations that are both ACCC members and ICC signatories.
Key Takeaways
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged all ACCC members to withdraw from the ICC at a conference in Panama on 13 August .
Hegseth called the ICC a 'fake and illegitimate international court' threatening national sovereignty.
Colombia was announced as the coalition's 19th member , with joint military operations authorised.
Operation Southern Spear reportedly achieved up to a 65 per cent reduction in drug vessel movement in the western Caribbean.
A new military partnership with Jamaica was unveiled; Honduras and Guatemala have invited US participation in joint operations.
The Trump administration is seeking a $1.5 trillion US military budget and will prioritise allies that increase defence spending.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on 13 August urged members of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC) to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), branding it a 'fake and illegitimate international court' that threatens national sovereignty. The remarks came during the ACCC conference in Panama, where Hegseth also announced that Colombia would join the coalition as its 19th member.
Key Developments
Hegseth made his position unambiguous, telling delegates: 'I strongly encourage every ACCC member to leave the ICC and reject their attempts to rob your governments and your courts of your sovereignty.' He added that as a soldier he had sworn an oath to the US Constitution, 'not some fake and illegitimate international court.'
The ICC, established under the 1998 Rome Statute and operational since 2002, investigates genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression when national courts are unable or unwilling to act. The United States signed the Rome Statute in 2000 but later withdrew its signature and has never ratified it. Several Latin American and Caribbean nations, however, are full ICC members.
Operation Southern Spear: Claimed Results
Hegseth cited figures from Operation Southern Spear, launched nearly a year ago, claiming it had produced 'at a minimum, a 65 per cent reduction in the western Caribbean, a 60 per cent reduction in the eastern Caribbean, and a nearly 50 per cent reduction in the eastern Pacific in the north and south of the Galapagos Islands' in suspected drug vessel movement.
He announced the operation's mandate would be transferred to the newly established Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, described as the 'action arm' of the US Southern Command.
New Partnerships and Joint Operations
Ecuador was praised for becoming the first coalition member to conduct a combined kinetic operation with the United States against suspected narcoterrorists. Honduras and Guatemala have also invited Washington to participate in joint operations, according to Hegseth.
A new military partnership with Jamaica was announced, aimed at disrupting trafficking through the Caribbean. Colombia, separately, has requested US participation in its counter-narcotics campaign and authorised joint military operations.
Defence Spending Push
Hegseth urged coalition members to increase their own military spending, noting that the Trump administration is seeking a $1.5 trillion US military budget. He signalled that Washington would prioritise defence cooperation with countries that invest substantially in their own capabilities. 'If countries are serious about their defence, the Department of War will prioritise our efforts to enhance your capabilities and fight beside you on the battlefield,' he said.
What's Next
The ICC push puts pressure on Latin American members of the ACCC who are simultaneously ICC signatories, creating a potential diplomatic tension between Washington's security agenda and their international legal commitments. Whether any member state acts on Hegseth's call remains to be seen, but the statement marks one of the most direct US challenges to the court's legitimacy in years.
Point of View
The US has never ratified the Rome Statute, so its hostility to the ICC is structurally consistent — but using a counter-narcotics forum to push that agenda is a deliberate escalation. The claimed drug-vessel reduction figures from Operation Southern Spear are significant if verified, but they come without independent corroboration, which warrants scrutiny before they are treated as settled fact.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Pete Hegseth call the ICC fake and illegitimate?
Hegseth argued that the ICC threatens national sovereignty and seeks jurisdiction over military operations that he says are lawful under the laws of armed conflict. He made the remarks at the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition conference in Panama on 13 August, urging all member nations to leave the court.
What is the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC)?
The ACCC is a Western Hemisphere security coalition focused on counter-narcotics operations. Colombia's addition at the Panama conference brings its membership to 19 nations. The coalition's operational work is being transferred to the newly established Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere.
What were the results claimed for Operation Southern Spear?
According to Hegseth, Operation Southern Spear — launched nearly a year ago — achieved at least a 65 per cent reduction in suspected drug vessel movement in the western Caribbean, a 60 per cent reduction in the eastern Caribbean, and a nearly 50 per cent reduction in the eastern Pacific near the Galapagos Islands. These figures have not been independently verified.
Which countries announced new military partnerships with the US at the conference?
Colombia authorised joint military operations with the US as part of its counter-narcotics campaign. Jamaica entered a new military partnership focused on disrupting Caribbean trafficking. Honduras and Guatemala also invited Washington to participate in joint operations.
Is the United States a member of the ICC?
No. The US signed the Rome Statute in 2000 but subsequently withdrew its signature and has never ratified the treaty. It is not an ICC member, though several Latin American and Caribbean nations are full members of the court.
