Don’t blame Trump for the collapse of international justice. Blame Jack Smith
The Trump administration’s sanctions against officials of the International Criminal Court have triggered an outpouring of concern: European governments and human-rights organizations warn that the international justice institutions painstakingly constructed over three decades are being weakened. They’re right. But the problem is not Trump.
TL;DR
- The Trump administration's sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) officials are a symptom, not the cause, of weakened international justice.
- International justice institutions have eroded their own credibility and legitimacy over time.
- The case of Hashim Thaçi, detained for nearly six years without a verdict, exemplifies procedural issues and a potential derailment of diplomatic efforts.
- While international justice can hold individuals accountable for vast crimes, it must earn the trust of sovereign nations through impartiality, due process, and political independence.
- Lack of transparency, prolonged detentions, and questionable evidence handling undermine the legitimacy of international courts.
- Credibility, built over decades, has been squandered by international institutions, threatening the entire project of international justice.