Trump Signs Order Imposing Sanctions on International Criminal Court
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on Thursday imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its investigations targeting the United States and its allies, including Israel.
A White House official confirmed that the order will introduce financial and visa restrictions on individuals and their families who assist ICC probes into US citizens or allied nations.
The move follows last week’s unsuccessful attempt by Senate Republicans to pass legislation sanctioning the ICC. That effort was blocked by Senate Democrats in protest against the court’s recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Netanyahu is currently in Washington for diplomatic meetings.
The ICC has not yet responded to the sanctions announcement. However, sources revealed that the court had been preparing for possible financial restrictions, with salaries paid three months in advance to ensure continued operations. In December, ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane warned that such sanctions would “rapidly undermine the Court’s operations in all situations and cases, and jeopardise its very existence.”
This is not the first time the ICC has faced US sanctions. During Trump’s first administration in 2020, Washington imposed similar measures on then-ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and one of her aides over the court’s investigation into alleged war crimes committed by US forces in Afghanistan.
The ICC, which has 125 member states, is a permanent tribunal responsible for prosecuting individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression. However, major global powers, including the United States, China, Russia, and Israel, are not members.
Russia has also taken aim at the court. In 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. Russia has banned entry to ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan and placed him and two ICC judges on its wanted list.
