US Slaps Sweeping Sanctions on ICC in Unprecedented Attack on Global Court

The Trump administration has imposed sweeping new sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), the US government announced on Thursday, in a major escalation of its efforts to dismantle the Hague-based tribunal. The measures target ICC officials and entities, effectively cutting off the court from the US financial system and restricting its ability to operate.

The sanctions follow the ICC's issuance of arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over alleged war crimes in Gaza – a move that drew fierce backlash from Washington. The Trump administration has argued that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the US or its allies, calling the court's actions illegitimate. "The ICC has engaged in politically motivated actions against the United States and our allies," a senior administration official said, defending the sanctions. The court, which has 124 member states, has vowed to continue its work despite the US pressure.

The sanctions have drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, European allies, and international legal experts, who warn they undermine the global rule of law and could embolden authoritarian regimes. The ICC's Assembly of States Parties is expected to convene an emergency session to discuss a coordinated response. Meanwhile, the court's investigations into war crimes in Ukraine, Gaza, and other conflicts could be severely hampered as US sanctions threaten its funding and access to global banking systems.