Podcast: IHIP News

Episode: Trump Panics Over Being Charged with War Crimes; The ICC Is Coming For Him

Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Date: December 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode tackles the brewing conflict between Donald Trump, his administration, and the International Criminal Court (ICC). Jennifer and Angie discuss a recent Reuters article revealing Trump's efforts to shield himself and his team from ICC investigations into war crimes, threatening sanctions against the ICC if they proceed. With their trademark blend of outrage, humor, and sharp political critique, the hosts dissect both the specifics of Trump's shakedown attempt and its broader implications for U.S. foreign policy and accountability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Attack on the ICC

• Reuters Report Breakdown:

  • Angie dives into the news: The Trump administration is lobbying to change ICC rules to avoid investigation and is threatening sanctions on the court.
  • Quote (01:33, Angie): “They know they're committing war crimes. And instead of being held accountable, which we know this president is allergic to, he wants to change the rules at the ICC, threatening them with sanctions because he knows what he's doing are crimes.”

• Motive:

  • The hosts assert Trump’s actions stem from fear of real accountability in 2029 as the ICC’s focus may turn to his administration.

2. Parallels with Other Figures Facing ICC (Netanyahu Discussion)

• Consistency of ICC:

  • Angie highlights that the ICC kept its warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting their resistance to U.S. pressure is likely.
  • Quote (02:13, Angie): “I would think that this Trumpian tactic, the shakedown that he’s trying to do with the ICC, I would think that that would not work considering they've held the line with the arrest warrant with Benjamin Netanyahu.”

• Enforcement Limitations:

  • Jennifer notes how the ICC has no real power over countries like the U.S.:
    • They can’t arrest individuals hosted by uncooperative states or impose sanctions.
    • Quote (03:36, Jennifer): “They don't have any enforcement power... they cannot arrest him or they cannot put sanctions on the United States for not arresting him. Which tells me, again, they're so worried about it when there's really no enforcement from the ICC, but they know it's going to happen... So what that tells me is it must be really, really bad what they're doing.”

3. American Accountability and Hypocrisy

• Culture of Impunity:

  • Angie brings up ongoing torture in “Alligator Alcatraz” as evidence of systemic abuse, lamenting the lack of Republican outrage and depicting Trump’s party as sanctioning crime:
    • Quote (04:35, Angie): “We have to consistently and constantly point out the Republican Party has turned into a Mafia party, a pro crime party... They're criminals as well.”

• Normalization of Atrocity:

  • Jennifer criticizes the posting of violent acts by officials like Pete Hegseth on social media as part of the normalization process.
  • Quote (07:01, Jennifer): “They put all this cruel shit on the social media platforms of the official agencies... it is not normal to post videos of murdering people... I think they’re trying to normalize this and I think that people are allowing it.”

4. Structural Problems with U.S. Foreign Policy

• Not a Partisan Issue:

  • Angie insists that both major parties are complicit; Obama’s drone strikes and various military interventions contributed to a collapse of moral standards.
    • Quote (09:23, Angie): “If we're really intellectually honest, we have to look at American foreign policy under both Republicans and Democrats... Each time we morally collapse on these things... it becomes—the lines in the sand get moved and moved and moved. And to really place the blame of all of this squarely on the Republicans is intellectually dishonest.”

• Historical Continuity of Abuse:

  • The hosts recall atrocities like Abu Ghraib, black sites, and waterboarding, tying the current normalization of violence to a long pattern in American foreign policy.
    • Quote (11:22, Angie): “Abu Ghraib in Iraq and the black sites. I mean, it's not new... Were there ever any trials or anything for all of that?”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On language slip-ups:

  • Angie teases Jennifer for her habitual mis-saying of years (“2000 and 2029”), lightening the tone early in the episode.
    • Quote (01:11, Angie): “You say 2000 and 2024 or 2000 and 2029. It's really cute. All right, go on. It cracks me up every… dying, laughing.”

• On the Republican transformation:

  • Angie delivers a scathing assessment of the GOP:
    • Quote (04:35): “The Republican Party has turned into a Mafia party, a pro crime party… They like to murder and torture people for sport.”

• On the psychological roots and normalization of violence:

  • Jennifer stresses the danger in making public torture and killing seem routine.
    • Quote (07:01): “We should not want public hangings like we have from this Magaverse…”

• On bipartisan culpability:

  • Angie’s broad critique of U.S. foreign policy includes both parties:
    • Quote (09:23): “Each time we morally collapse on these things… it becomes—the lines in the sand get moved and moved and moved.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:20] ICC/Reuters report discussion and Trump’s panicked maneuvering
• [02:03] Netanyahu’s ICC warrant and ICC’s resilience
• [03:36] ICC’s enforcement limitations & why Trump worries anyway
• [04:35] “Mafia party” critique of the GOP and details on ongoing alleged war crimes
• [06:20] Netanyahu travel restrictions and ICC implications for Trump officials post-term
• [07:01] Normalization of cruelty on social media by administration officials
• [09:23] Historical context: Both parties’ roles in U.S. foreign policy abuses
• [11:22] Abu Ghraib, black sites, Bush era war crimes, and lack of accountability

Tone and Language

• The tone is direct, irreverently comedic, and often angry, but laced with moments of self-awareness (“You say 2000 and 2029… It’s really cute…”).
• Strong, explicit critiques of both Trump’s administration and the U.S. foreign policy establishment.

Summary Takeaway

The episode argues that Trump’s attempt to bully the ICC is an implicit admission of guilt, but also a symptom of a deeper American reluctance to reckon with its long-standing record of war crimes and abuses under both Republican and Democratic administrations. The hosts urge listeners to recognize the normalization of atrocities and demand higher accountability across the political spectrum.