The Wall Street Journal: Trump Administration Prepares for Broad Sanctions on the International Criminal Court
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to impose broad sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), escalating Washington’s campaign against the tribunal in a move that could deprive it of access to a significant portion of the global financial system, according to officials and documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
According to the newspaper, the sanctions would block most transactions with the court after a grace period of six to seven months, potentially hindering its operations by preventing it from conducting transactions in U.S. dollars and cutting it off from a large segment of the global financial system.
The timing of the final decision remains unclear, but U.S. officials said it could be finalized this week alongside meetings of the United Nations General Assembly or in the days following.
The United States has already imposed sanctions on several ICC officials, including former Prosecutor General Karim Khan, Court President Tomoko Akane, and several judges and deputy prosecutors, as well as the lead prosecutor in the case filed against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. Khan has denied any allegations of misconduct.
The newspaper quoted officials as saying the new sanctions would be more severe, targeting a range of transactions related to the court rather than specific individuals, with exceptions for transactions involving telecommunications services.
European countries and Japan have pledged to protect the court from moves by the Trump administration, while the European Union may ask its member-state banks to continue dealing with the tribunal.
In July, Rubio stated that the Trump administration was preparing a broad campaign against the court, vowing to dismantle it “brick by brick” if necessary, arguing that its prosecution of officials from non-member states poses a threat to U.S. sovereignty.
The escalation follows the court’s issuance in 2024 of arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war in Gaza. Both men deny the allegations.
The court is also investigating Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir regarding their roles in expanding settlements in the West Bank, which the United Nations considers illegal under international law.
