The Trump administration has put sanctions on the International Criminal Court itself, cutting the court off from American money and banks over its claim that it can prosecute U.S. troops and Israel’s leaders.
Story Highlights
- On Friday, October 9, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on the court as a whole, the first time the U.S. has targeted the institution rather than individual officials.
- The court’s assets under U.S. control are frozen, and Americans, U.S. companies and banks are generally barred from doing business with it.
- A 180-day license gives the court about six months to keep certain operations running while its member countries work on Washington’s objections.
- The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay was named winner of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
Why Washington Moved Against The Court
The International Criminal Court, or ICC, is a court in The Hague, Netherlands, that hears cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The United States never joined it, and neither did Israel. Neither country is a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the court. Even so, the court says it can prosecute citizens of non-member countries for crimes committed on the soil of a member country.
That claim is the heart of the fight. In 2020 the court cleared the way for an investigation of alleged war crimes by U.S. military and intelligence personnel in Afghanistan, though its prosecutor later shifted focus to the Taliban and ISIS-K. In 2024 it issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes in Gaza. Both men deny wrongdoing, and President Trump has called the warrants “baseless.”
Rubio said the court claims power over Americans, including U.S. service members serving overseas. “Our message is clear: the United States and the American people are not subject to the jurisdiction of this fake ICC,” he said in a recorded video. He added, “Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC.”
What The 180-Day Window Means
The penalties do not hit all at once. The Treasury Department, which runs U.S. sanctions, gave the court a general license. That is a written permission that lets certain dealings go on for a set time. This one runs 180 days, about six months. During that window the court can keep certain operations running while its 125 member countries try to answer America’s objections. The full sanctions take effect when the window closes if no agreement is reached, according to reports.
Rubio said the action was built to give member countries room to negotiate. He urged U.S. allies, many of whom belong to the court and rely on American troops for their defense, to “rein in this rogue court.”
A Nobel Prize Hours Earlier
The timing drew notice around the world. Hours before Rubio’s announcement, the Nobel Peace Prize went to Navi Pillay. She is a South African-born human rights official who served as a judge on the ICC from 2003 to 2008. She later served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the U.N.’s top human rights official, and now sits on the International Court of Justice, a separate court.
Pillay also chaired a U.N. inquiry that in September 2025 found “reasonable grounds” to conclude Israel was committing genocide in Gaza. Israel strongly disputes that finding. Netanyahu’s office said the Nobel Committee “has lost its moral compass.” President Trump called the choice disgraceful, according to reports. On Saturday, October 10, Pillay called the sanctions “unheard of, unacceptable” and said hundreds of court staff feel under threat.
How The Court And Allies Responded
The court called the move “an assault on the rule of law.” Its president, Judge Tomoko Akane, who was herself sanctioned by the U.S. in August, said the court “will continue to fully discharge its mandate, with independence and impartiality.” The court asked its member countries to make sure it has the money and support it needs to keep working.
The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, called the sanctions “deeply regrettable” and said it is ready to take steps to help the court carry out its work. Foreign ministers from Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom said they strongly disagree with the decision.
A Long Campaign Reaches The Court Itself
Friday’s step builds on earlier action. A February 2025 executive order from President Trump allowed sanctions on ICC officials. Since then the administration has sanctioned 17 people tied to the court, including judges and prosecutors. The October 9 move is the first to target the court as a whole. Rubio has warned that if allies do not act, “the United States will continue its campaign to dismantle the ICC piece by piece.” The 180-day clock is now running.
