Trump administration accused of trying to intimidate the International Criminal Court. US imposes sanctions on ICC president

The United States has imposed sanctions on two senior officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC), drawing criticism from the court. The ICC stated that the U.S. actions "undermine the rule of law" and endanger the international legal order.

The sanctions target ICC President Tomoko Akane and chief prosecutor Abdoulaye Seye. The U.S. administration, led by President Trump, has been critical of the ICC, accusing it of "politicization." The court, established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity, is based in The Hague.

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When judicial actors are threatened for carrying out the law, the international legal order itself is put in danger.

This move marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration's campaign against the ICC. The U.S. is not a party to the international treaty that established the court. Previous sanctions have included travel bans to the U.S. and restrictions on financial transactions.

The sanctions appear to be a direct response to the ICC's investigations into Israel, a U.S. ally. In 2024, the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in connection with the war in Gaza. The ICC stated it remains "unwavering" and "firmly supports its personnel and victims of unimaginable atrocities."

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Measures directed against judges, prosecutors and staff working to fulfill the mandate conferred to the ICC by states undermine the rule of law.