President Trump sanctions ICC for ‘illegitimate’ Israel, US probes

U.S. President Donald Trump has authorized new economic and travel sanctions targeting individuals involved in International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations of U.S. citizens or allies such as Israel. The move has garnered both condemnation and some praise from the international community. Presidents Trumps order said that the ICC ‘abused its power’ by issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The order further stated that the tribunal had participated in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”
The ICC, based in The Hague, is a permanent judicial body with the authority to prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and the crime of aggression committed by nationals or on the territory of member states. Thursday’s announcement of sanctions coincided with a visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently facing an investigation by the ICC regarding the war in Gaza.
In response to the sanctions, the ICC issued a statement on Friday reaffirming its commitment to its mission. “The court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all situations before it,” the ICC said. The court also urged its 125 member states to offer their support.
The sanctions have been strongly criticized by several European leaders. Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, expressed his disapproval on his social platform, stating, “Sanctioning the ICC threatens the Court’s independence and undermines the international criminal justice system as a whole.” The Netherlands, the host country of the ICC, also expressed regret over the U.S. actions. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp emphasized in a post on X that “the court’s work is essential in the fight against impunity.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shared similar sentiments.
However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of President Trump, supported the sanctions, suggesting that it may be time for Hungary to reconsider its involvement in the ICC. “It’s time for Hungary to review what we’re doing in an international organization that is under U.S. sanctions! New winds are blowing in international politics. We call it the Trump-tornado,” Orban wrote on X.
The sanctions include freezing the U.S. assets of those targeted and barring them and their families from entering the United States. The U.S. has yet to announce the specific individuals who will be sanctioned. This follows a similar action taken by the Trump administration in 2020, when sanctions were imposed on ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and a senior aide due to their investigation into alleged war crimes committed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
Notably, the United States, along with China, Russia, and Israel, is not a member of the ICC.