THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026 15 Podcast of the Month: It Was Never a Job The appearance of a particular site or podcast is for information only and does not constitute an endorsement. F ormer USAID Foreign Service Officer Chris Saenger has launched a new podcast, “It Was Never a Job,” featuring former USAID FSOs telling their stories. Ranging from harrowing to humorous, the stories collectively convey a theme of pride in service on behalf of the United States alongside gratitude for the communities where that work took place. Saenger served as a USAID FSO from 2009 to 2025, with postings in Ecuador, Iraq, Colombia, and Germany, where he worked with the agency’s Middle East Regional Platform. He also served on the Jordan desk in Washington, D.C., and led the agency’s Ukraine Unit. USAID alumni and family members with stories to share can record a voice memo and email it to contact@ itwasneverajob.com, or submit a written message through the contact form at https://itwasneverajob.com. Saenger asks that contributors mention their first name and USAID assignments when sharing a story, as recordings may be featured in future episodes. authority of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over U.S. personnel, which he called a threat to U.S. sovereignty. In a public video message, Rubio said the court had strayed from prosecuting only the gravest offenses to something more radical, and the administration would not permit it to threaten U.S. personnel. A State Department official told Reuters the administration is weighing a range of options, including travel bans, visa revocations, and expanded sanctions against the court and affiliated organizations. Nations that host a U.S. military presence, partner with U.S. law enforcement, or otherwise rely on U.S. assistance are being asked to reject the ICC’s claimed authority to prosecute Americans, the official said, and countries that decline to do so while continuing to rely on U.S. assistance should expect increased scrutiny. The department said no diplomatic option will be off-limits in the campaign to dismantle the “threat” posed by the ICC. The United States has never been a member of the ICC, which was established in 2002 to prosecute genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The United States has since taken other steps to insulate itself from ICC jurisdiction, including negotiating more than 100 bilateral immunity agreements with member states and adopting the 2002 American Servicemembers’ Protection Act. The current campaign follows earlier sanctions imposed by the administration on the ICC’s chief prosecutor and eight judges. Three of those judges sued the administration in June, arguing the sanctions were unlawful. The European Union has rejected the U.S. characterization of the ICC as a threat to U.S. sovereignty and called attacks on the court and its personnel unacceptable.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODIyMDU=