United States prepares sanctions against International Criminal Court

The United States government is preparing to impose sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a whole. This move aims to counter arrest warrants issued by the court against Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, regarding alleged war crimes in Gaza.

While the U.S. has previously sanctioned individual ICC officials, the current administration is escalating the approach to include the entire institution. Proposed Treasury Department sanctions could prohibit U.S. citizens and companies from providing funds, goods, or services to the ICC without specific licenses. Such measures could disrupt the court’s access to dollar transactions, IT services, insurance, and the employment of American personnel.

This policy shift follows Executive Order 14203, issued in February 2025, and aligns with long-standing bipartisan resistance in Washington toward the court’s jurisdiction. The administration seeks to protect allies and U.S. personnel from ICC investigations, which have previously targeted American troops in Afghanistan.