The Trump administration imposed sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court on Friday, October 9, 2026, targeting the institution over investigations involving the United States and its allies, including Israel.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the measures, which restrict the court's access to American financial services, technology providers and US dollars.
The restrictions mark an escalation from earlier American actions against individual ICC officials.
According to reports cited by WJLA, the measures block court assets within US jurisdiction and give American companies and individuals six months to end covered business relationships with the tribunal.
The US Treasury Department also issued four general licenses permitting certain transactions involving telecommunications, software, pension payments and ICC detainees, Reuters reported.
The restrictions could affect American banks, insurers and software providers serving the court.
Rubio defended the administration's decision in a video address, arguing that the measures would deprive the institution of resources and protect Americans from its jurisdiction.
"We will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate against us," said Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state.
He also rejected the tribunal's authority over American citizens, saying, "The United States and the American people are not subject to the jurisdiction of this fake ICC."
Rubio said the administration had developed the broader sanctions over several months and delayed their implementation to give the court and its member states time to address Washington's concerns.
He urged US allies to take action against the institution.
He warned that countries declining to support Washington's position would face continued pressure, stating, "If they do not, the United States will continue its campaign to dismantle the ICC, piece by piece, until Americans are threatened no longer."
The administration has objected to the ICC's investigation into alleged crimes by US personnel in Afghanistan, which the court has since closed, and its arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and has 125 member states.
The United States, Russia, China, India and Israel are not members.
The court condemned the sanctions as an attempt to interfere with international justice and undermine the rule of law.
"It is an attempt to obstruct the course of justice and to prevent the court from doing what it was created to do," the International Criminal Court said in a statement.
ICC President Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national, said the dispute extended beyond the institution itself to the international legal framework.
"This is not just about defending a single institution, but about safeguarding the international order grounded upon the rule of law," said Tomoko Akane, president of the International Criminal Court.
Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan also criticized the measures in comments to Reuters, saying they were intended to weaken international rule of law but would not stop the court's investigations or prosecutions.
The tribunal said it would continue its work despite the restrictions.
The United Nations also condemned Washington's decision.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, described the sanctions as a serious setback for international criminal justice.
"Accountability for international crimes and delivery of justice to victims are central to our global commitment to peace, security, human rights and fundamental freedoms," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general.
The response from US allies was similarly critical.
Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement opposing the sanctions and reaffirming their support for the tribunal.
"As committed supporters of the ICC we regret and strongly disagree with the announcement of sanctions to be imposed upon the court by the United States," the eight governments said in their joint statement.
The governments also pledged to continue supporting international accountability, stating, "We will continue to work together to support the court's vital work, uphold the rules-based international system, and advance accountability."
Seven signatories are NATO members, while Japan maintains a separate treaty alliance with the United States.
Human Rights Watch Executive Director Philippe Bolopion urged governments to defend the court, emphasizing that its mandate applies regardless of a person's power or position.
"The ICC was created to ensure that no one, no matter how powerful, is above the law," said Philippe Bolopion, executive director of Human Rights Watch.
He called on governments that support human rights and accountability to oppose the American measures and protect the tribunal.
The Netherlands, which hosts the court, had prepared for the possibility of sanctions for several weeks.
One potential response involves the European Union's blocking statute, which could shield European court personnel by preventing companies operating in Europe from complying with certain US restrictions.
The European Union said it intended to cooperate with the ICC and take "any necessary measures" to preserve its operations.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten expressed disappointment over the American action but welcomed the diplomatic work undertaken before its announcement.
Jetten said he was pleased that "all the diplomatic efforts over the past few months were effective" in ensuring the sanctions would not take effect immediately.
The announcement followed the awarding of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to Navi Pillay, a South African jurist and former judge at the ICC and other international courts.
US officials maintained that the timing was coincidental and that the sanctions had been planned months earlier.
The ICC has faced resistance from successive US administrations since its creation.
Bill Clinton's administration signed the Rome Statute but did not submit it for Senate ratification over concerns about American sovereignty.
George W. Bush's administration later withdrew the US signature and sought exemptions protecting American personnel from potential prosecution.
Relations improved during Barack Obama's presidency, when Washington provided intelligence and other assistance to ICC investigators, including in efforts concerning Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony.
During Trump's first term, the United States returned to a more confrontational policy and sanctioned individual court officials.
Several countries have announced plans to leave the ICC in 2026, including Venezuela, Chad and the South Pacific island nation of Nauru, which was the latest to announce its withdrawal.
