The Trump administration is demanding that the International Criminal Court (ICC) revoke arrest warrants for Israeli officials and halt an investigation into actions by American troops in Afghanistan. This comes as the administration openly expresses disdain for the court and seeks to undermine its functions.
In July, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a large-scale campaign aimed at eliminating what he termed the “threat” posed by the ICC to U.S. sovereignty. Until now, Washington has imposed sanctions on several ICC judges and prosecutors but has refrained from applying restrictions directly against the court itself, despite contemplating such measures for some time, according to reports.
Sources indicate that sanctions against the ICC are already prepared, but the exact timing for their announcement remains unclear. The Wall Street Journal reports that a decision could be finalized as early as this week during a session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The ICC’s Secretary and President have warned that applying sanctions directly against the organization and its cooperating entities could severely disrupt its operations. They noted that such restrictions could block the procurement of IT services, insurance, the hiring of investigators, and daily financial transactions, including salary payments to numerous American employees.
Context
- The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, operates under the Rome Statute, adopted in 1998 and effective since 2002. It addresses crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes, with jurisdiction limited to states that have ratified the statute.
- In February 2025, President Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC for what he called “illegal and unfounded actions” against the United States and its close ally, Israel. The ICC responded by affirming its commitment to delivering justice.
- In June, the U.S. sanctioned four ICC judges, two of whom allowed investigations into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan, while the other two approved arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Washington accused the ICC of politicization and overstepping its authority to investigate U.S. citizens and allies, stating that such claims threaten U.S. sovereignty and national security.
- The ICC has accused the United States of undermining the justice system.
