The administration of US President Donald Trump has announced sweeping sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), significantly escalating its efforts to undermine what it considers an institution that is “out of control.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measures, which include prohibiting US entities from conducting transactions with the ICC, are intended to “protect US sovereignty.” He accused the court of seeking to prosecute American citizens.
The ICC said the measures constituted an attack on the rule of law and the foundations of the international legal order.
The announcement came just hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay was awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law.
The United States has already imposed sanctions on 17 ICC judges and officials. However, the new measures target the court itself as an institution and are intended to undermine its ability to operate financially.
The US has provided a six-month transition period before some of the new sanctions take effect. This would allow member states to continue funding the court’s operations during that period. Washington said the delay was intended to give countries time to negotiate a “solution that addresses” US concerns.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described the US decision as “a serious blow to our collective efforts for international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar,” the BBC reports.
