U.S. President Donald Trump has drawn renewed international attention to the persecution of Christians, declaring that Christians are being persecuted across the world and questioning why international human-rights institutions, in his view, have not given the issue sufficient attention.
Speaking on September 22, 2026, during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Trump said: “Christians are being persecuted all over the world. It’s not even believable. I never thought I’d say it, but it’s been happening for a long time.”
Trump made the remarks while sharply criticizing the United Nations Human Rights Council and broader international institutions. He argued that while international bodies focus on issues involving the United States, they have comparatively little to say about the persecution of Christians and other serious abuses taking place around the world.
His comments came in the wider context of an increasingly confrontational U.S. position toward international institutions, particularly the International Criminal Court (ICC). During the same address, Trump described the ICC as an “out of control” institution and accused it of acting as an anti-American tribunal. He then called on every country that is a member of the court to “officially resign from this rogue institution immediately.”
Trump’s opposition to the ICC is not new. In February 2025, his administration imposed sanctions on ICC officials and argued that the court had improperly asserted jurisdiction over U.S. personnel and certain U.S. allies. The White House specifically objected to ICC actions involving American and Israeli personnel and maintained that countries that have not accepted the court’s jurisdiction should not have their citizens subjected to its authority.
The latest confrontation comes as the ICC faces increasing pressure and a number of withdrawals from its membership. According to the Associated Press, five countries—Venezuela, Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—had announced plans to withdraw from the Rome Statute during the preceding year. The developments have intensified debate over the court’s role, jurisdiction and relationship with national sovereignty.
The ICC was established under the Rome Statute as a court of last resort for prosecuting individuals accused of some of the gravest international crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression. Its supporters maintain that the institution provides an avenue for accountability when national judicial systems are unwilling or unable to act, while its critics—including the Trump administration—have raised concerns about jurisdiction, sovereignty and alleged selective application of international justice.
Trump’s remarks therefore connect two major themes of his foreign-policy message: opposition to what he describes as unelected global institutions exceeding their authority, and greater international attention to the persecution of Christians.
The statement also places Christian persecution within a broader global human-rights debate. Reports from different regions have documented violence, discrimination and restrictions affecting Christians, although the circumstances vary significantly from country to country and the causes differ across conflicts and political environments.
By placing the issue before the United Nations General Assembly, Trump has once again made religious persecution a prominent part of his international message while simultaneously challenging the legitimacy and authority of institutions such as the ICC.
His call for ICC member states to withdraw represents a significant escalation in his criticism of the court and reflects his broader argument that national sovereignty should take precedence over international institutions that, in his view, exercise authority beyond their legitimate jurisdiction.
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