Trump Administration Prepares Sanctions Against Entire ICC

President Donald Trump’s administration has prepared sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an organization, potentially escalating Washington’s confrontation with the global tribunal, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The sanctions could be announced soon, although the exact timing remains uncertain. The Wall Street Journal, citing officials, reported that a decision could be finalized during this week’s United Nations General Assembly gathering.

The Trump administration has repeatedly criticized the ICC and pushed the court to withdraw arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. U.S. officials have also opposed the tribunal’s previous investigation involving American troops in Afghanistan.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a campaign in July aimed at isolating the ICC and urged countries to withdraw from the institution. Washington has already imposed sanctions on several ICC judges and prosecutors, but targeting the court itself would represent a significant expansion of those measures.

If the U.S. Treasury imposes entity-wide sanctions, American citizens and businesses would generally be prohibited from providing funds, goods or services to the ICC without authorization from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Such restrictions could disrupt the ICC’s daily operations, including purchases of IT services and insurance, recruitment of investigators and routine financial transactions. Court officials have also warned that sanctions could complicate payments to dozens of American employees. Banks could impose additional restrictions because of their reliance on the U.S. financial system.

Trump’s opposition to the ICC dates back to his first presidential term. Tensions intensified after his November 2024 reelection, when the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to the Gaza conflict.

Established in 2002, the ICC prosecutes genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity when national authorities are unable or unwilling to pursue cases themselves. The United States has never joined the court.

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment on the reported sanctions plan.