US Sanctions International Criminal Court as Allies and UN Push Back

The United States has imposed a new wave of sanctions on the International Criminal Court, prompting condemnation from numerous countries — including Washington's own allies — and renewed pledges of support for the war crimes tribunal.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington would bar all transactions with what he called a "lawless court," cut off its resources and paralyze its ability to operate. He added that President Donald Trump would "never allow" The Hague to prosecute Americans.

The ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity when national authorities are unable or unwilling to act.

The US Treasury published the sanctions measures alongside an initial six-month grace period and certain exemptions permitting transactions related to telecommunications, software, pension payments and dealings involving detainees.

Rubio said the sanctions would give the court and its member states an opportunity to address US concerns, and would be adjusted if they fail to meet those demands.

The Trump administration argues the court overstepped its authority by pursuing officials from countries that are not ICC members, such as Israel. Neither the US nor Israel has ever joined the court.

In response to the sanctions, the ICC described the move as "an attack on the rule of law and the very foundations of the international legal order." It called on its 125 member states to defend the institution.

"The court cannot stand alone. Its fate now also rests in the hands of the states that created it," the ICC said in a statement. "This is not merely about protecting a single institution, but about protecting an international order based on the rule of law. History will judge this moment."

Before sanctioning the court itself on Friday, the Trump administration had already sanctioned more than a dozen judges and prosecutors.

Allies 'deeply regret and disagree' with US move

Shortly after the US announcement, senior United Nations officials condemned the action.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "deeply concerned" about the expected impact of the sanctions on the court as a whole, particularly its ability to carry out its mandate, according to a statement from his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

"Friday's decision deals a serious blow to our collective efforts to pursue international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a central pillar," the statement added.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk called for immediate measures to protect the ICC. "These sanctions — the latest retaliatory step in a series of actions targeting the ICC and its staff for the work they do every day to advance accountability for the worst human rights violations — are unacceptable," he said.

ICC member states that are US allies also voiced concern over the decision.

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, whose country hosts the ICC, said the US decision was "deeply regrettable."

"We will steadfastly defend the court. At the same time, it should be noted that the sanctions will not take effect immediately and service providers can continue to work for the ICC. The six-month window before the sanctions take effect creates space for dialogue," he said.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the UK, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Japan said they "deeply regret and strongly disagree" with the sanctions.

"If implemented, these sanctions would have a significant impact on the court's work, its dedicated staff and their families… We remain united in support of the ICC and committed to constructive and inclusive dialogue with non-member states," they said.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot also said Brussels would discuss support for the ICC with EU counterparts on Monday and at an upcoming European Council meeting.

"We will push for concrete protection. The court's independence cannot depend on whom it investigates. Europe must act. Belgium calls for the activation of the EU Blocking Statute to protect the court," Prevot said.

US aims to 'destroy' the ICC

Human rights organizations and advocacy groups likewise raised alarm over the consequences of the decision.

Philippe Bolopion, US executive director of Human Rights Watch, said the Trump administration had made clear its goal of "destroying" the ICC and "shielding US and Israeli officials from facing charges before the court."

"The ICC was created to ensure that no one, however powerful, is above the law. Governments that value human rights and accountability should condemn this outrageous move and act quickly to protect the ICC, its staff and all those who cooperate with it, starting with the European Union using its laws to mitigate the impact of sanctions in the region," he said.

James Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, said the sanctions amount to "a calculated attack on the rule of law and the principles of judicial independence and equality that underpin it."

"This is the latest move in a coercive campaign to dismantle the international justice system," he said.

Amnesty International called on countries to "push back." "Trump's sanctions are designed to isolate and ultimately destroy the International Criminal Court," Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International's senior director for research, policy, advocacy and campaigns, said in a statement. "This existential attack must fail. States must take concrete action against the imposition of these measures."

Amid the wave of criticism, Israel welcomed the US move.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the sanctions and thanked Trump and Rubio for taking the "important decision."

"The ICC is not a court. It is a political body that poses an existential threat to law-abiding democracies worldwide and to the very idea of national sovereignty," Netanyahu wrote on X.

In 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza.