Trump Sanctions ICC Over War Crimes Probes Into U.S. and Israeli Officials

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), escalating tensions between the United States and the Hague-based tribunal.

The order enforces financial and visa restrictions on individuals and their families who assist the ICC in investigating American citizens. Trump justified the move by condemning the court’s actions as “illegitimate and baseless,” particularly concerning its probes into U.S. allies such as Israel.

The ICC, an independent judicial body with 124 member states—including the UK—has the authority to prosecute cases of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. However, the United States and Israel have never joined the court, citing concerns over sovereignty and impartiality.

Trump’s sanctions come amid growing scrutiny of Israeli leadership. In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes committed in Gaza. Prosecutors claim the offences occurred between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024, the date the applications for warrants were officially filed.

The court found “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore command responsibility for intentionally directing attacks against civilian populations. The ICC also issued a warrant for a Hamas commander as part of its broader investigation into the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The ICC has been increasingly active in holding world leaders accountable, having previously issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Taliban officials accused of persecuting Afghan women, and Myanmar’s military leadership.

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However, Trump’s order denounces the ICC’s decision to issue simultaneous warrants for Hamas and Israeli officials, calling it a “shameful moral equivalency.” His administration argued that the move set a “dangerous precedent” that could lead to the prosecution of U.S. officials, jeopardizing national security and foreign policy interests.

“This malign conduct threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel,” the executive order states.