The state of international law under the new Trump era

An IBA webinar

The second term of Donald Trump’s US presidency has brought about significant changes across all aspects of the administration. Indeed, the early hours and days of President Trump taking over power saw an unprecedented number of executive orders implementing some of his election promises and changes, with yet unforeseen consequences.

This also applies to America’s international law commitments and changes to US policies and approaches pertaining to international law. Among other things, the US withdrew from the Human Rights Council, temporarily froze assistance to Ukraine and halted US foreign development aid across the board, sanctioned the International Criminal Court, withdrew support from the mechanism collecting evidence of Russia’s crime of aggression, and began a rehaul of the US State Department, which includes introducing cuts to the International Criminal Justice Office.

This session will consider:

• the short and long term impact of the changes introduced by President Trump;

• what else we can expect;

• how the international community must act to neutralise the impact of some of the changes;

• the chances of the international community being able to preserve the rules-based order without the US playing its part; and

• where are the options for cooperation – if not human rights – then counter-terrorism and national security related issues?