Measures concentrating on the courtroom itself may disrupt funds, IT companies and investigations.
Printed On 21 Sep 2026
The Trump administration is reportedly making ready sweeping sanctions towards the Worldwide Prison Courtroom (ICC) that would disrupt the tribunal’s funds and day-to-day operations.
The US sanctions would prohibit most transactions with the ICC after a grace interval of six to seven months, The Wall Road Journal reported on Sunday.
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The transfer would mark a pointy escalation in Washington’s marketing campaign towards the Hague-based courtroom by concentrating on the establishment itself fairly than particular person judges and prosecutors.
The Trump administration plans to announce the sanctions quickly, in keeping with the Reuters information company, quoting two sources acquainted with the matter.
The Journal, citing nameless officers, mentioned a call could possibly be finalised throughout this week’s United Nations Common Meeting gathering in New York or quickly afterwards.
If imposed, the measures would usually bar US residents and firms from offering the ICC with cash, items or companies and not using a licence from the US Treasury.
Banks and different firms typically take an particularly cautious method to US sanctions as a result of they depend on entry to the American monetary system.
The ICC president and registrar have beforehand warned that sanctions on the organisation as an entire may intrude with its potential to purchase info know-how and insurance coverage companies, rent investigators and make routine funds, together with salaries for American staff.
The ICC was created in 2002 to prosecute people accused of genocide, struggle crimes and crimes towards humanity when nationwide authorities are unable or unwilling to take action.
Washington has already sanctioned greater than a dozen ICC judges and prosecutors beneath an government order signed by President Donald Trump in February 2025.
In August, it added the courtroom’s President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye to the record, with restrictions on them taking impact on September 17.
America has by no means joined the courtroom.
The Trump administration says the courtroom has exceeded its authority by pursuing officers from international locations that aren’t ICC members.
Relations deteriorated sharply after the courtroom issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged struggle crimes and crimes towards humanity in Gaza.
Israel, just like the US, shouldn’t be an ICC member and rejects the courtroom’s jurisdiction.
Washington has additionally objected to an earlier ICC investigation into alleged abuses in Afghanistan involving US personnel.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio introduced a marketing campaign in July to additional isolate the courtroom and urged different international locations to withdraw from it.
Trump’s transfer provides to rising opposition to the ICC in latest months.
Chad and Venezuela moved in July to withdraw from the courtroom, following Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
4 US-based rights teams sued the Trump administration in August, arguing that present sanctions impede their authorized and human rights work.
