The Trump administration has urged NATO allies to withdraw from the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court and end their support for the Hague-based tribunal, part of a sweeping American effort to weaken an institution Washington has repeatedly accused of overstepping its authority. The demand was raised during a closed-door meeting of NATO ambassadors in Brussels, Reuters reported.

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker urged allied governments to withdraw from the Rome Statute, publicly condemn what Washington regards as ICC overreach, and halt material support for the court. A document circulated by the American delegation declared that the United States intended to “systematically dismantle” the ICC’s capabilities.

The demand met resistance from several European governments. France and the Netherlands made clear that they would not comply and reaffirmed their backing for the court. NATO itself is not a party to the Rome Statute, but nearly all of its members are, with the United States and Turkey among the exceptions.

The American campaign is tied in part to longstanding U.S. concerns about potential prosecutions of American personnel, as well as the ICC’s actions against Israeli leaders. The court previously issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Washington has already imposed sanctions on ICC officials, including the court’s president, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused the institution of using international law to undermine American sovereignty.

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