U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order 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 sanctions will include financial and visa restrictions on individuals and their families who assist ICC probes into U.S. citizens or allied nations.
This decision follows a failed attempt by Senate Republicans last week to pass legislation imposing similar sanctions on the ICC. Senate Democrats blocked the measure 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 yet to officially respond to the sanctions, but sources indicate the court had been preparing for potential financial restrictions. Salaries were reportedly paid three months in advance to ensure continued operations. In December, ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane warned that such sanctions could severely disrupt the court’s functions and threaten its very existence.
This is not the first time the U.S. has sanctioned the ICC. In 2020, during Trump’s first administration, Washington imposed similar measures on then-ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and one of her aides over the court’s investigation into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan.
The ICC, which has 125 member states, is a permanent tribunal tasked with prosecuting individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression. However, major global powers—including the U.S., China, Russia, and Israel—are not members.
Russia has also taken action against the ICC. In 2023, the court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. In response, Russia banned ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan from entering the country and placed him and two ICC judges on its wanted list.
