Trump Targets ICC with Sanctions Over Netanyahu’s Arrest Warrant

US President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC). This move came just days after his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the White House, these sanctions are “aggressive” and a direct response to the ICC’s actions against the US and Israel.

Executive Order Grants Trump Broad Powers

Under the executive order, Trump has the authority to freeze assets and impose travel bans on ICC officials and their families. Specifically, these sanctions apply if they participate in investigations or prosecutions against US citizens or allies. Notably, this decision follows the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. In addition, the court also accused deceased Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammad Dief of war crimes in Gaza.

Trump Accuses ICC of Overreach

Moreover, Trump accused the ICC of “abusing power” by targeting Netanyahu and Gallant. He warned that this decision “set a dangerous precedent” and could put US citizens and military personnel at risk. In his statement, he asserted, “This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel.”

Trump Warns of Harsh Consequences

Furthermore, Trump emphasized that neither the US nor Israel is an ICC member. Therefore, he insisted that the court must “respect the decision” of countries that reject its authority. He also warned that the US “will impose tangible and significant consequences on those responsible for the ICC’s transgressions.” These consequences include freezing assets and banning ICC officials and their families from entering the US.

At the same time, it remains unclear which officials will be sanctioned. However, ICC leaders are already preparing for the impact. According to The Guardian, Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan and other senior court officials worked late into the night, waiting for the White House announcement.

Strong Backlash and Political Opposition

Meanwhile, Trump’s order has faced significant backlash. Just last week, a bill proposing broad sanctions against the ICC stalled in the Senate because Democrats refused to support it. In response, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, strongly condemned the order. She remarked, “Today’s executive order is vindictive. It is aggressive. It is a brutal step that seeks to undermine and destroy what the international community has painstakingly constructed over decades if not centuries: global rules that are applicable to everyone and aim to deliver justice for all.”

Additionally, she criticized the decision for sending the message that “Israel is above the law and the universal principles of international justice.”

Trump Has Sanctioned ICC Before

Importantly, this is not the first time Trump has taken action against the ICC. Back in 2020, during his first term, he issued a similar order. At that time, he imposed travel bans and asset freezes on former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and another top court official.

That order, in particular, was a response to Bensouda’s investigation into war crimes in Afghanistan and Palestinian territories. Then, in 2021, she escalated it to a formal criminal probe. Eventually, her successor, Karim Khan, took over the investigation and accelerated it after Hamas’ October 7 attack in Israel.