The US imposes sanctions against International Criminal Court

The administration of US President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Reuters reports this.

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement reviewed by the agency before his official speech, said: "President Donald Trump will never allow the International Criminal Court to prosecute Americans."

According to Rubio, Washington would prohibit operations with ICC, “depriving it of its resources and paralyzing its ability to function”. He also called on allies who are participants in the court to influence its activities.

The Deputy ICC Prosecutor Nazhat Shamim Khan has already condemned the US decision, saying it goes against the international rule of law and an independent judiciary. However, these restrictions will not stop the court from working.

Reuters notes that the sanctions were reported on the same day that former ICC Appeals Chamber judge Navi Pillay received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in the field of international criminal justice.

The Nobel committee said the award should serve as a reminder of the importance of international law at a time when its judges and institutions are under political pressure.

• The Donald Trump administrationʼs dissatisfaction with the work of ICC arose during his first presidential term, when the court tried to investigate alleged war crimes by American soldiers in Afghanistan.
• The United States, which is not a party to ICC, also criticized it for issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 for war crimes committed during Israelʼs operations in Gaza. In February 2025, the second Trump administration imposed sanctions on the institution.
• In August 2026, the US also imposed sanctions on the ICC President Tomoko Akane and several officials. Secretary of State Rubio explained this at the time by saying that the court had allegedly abused its powers.

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