The Trump administration announced new sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday, marking a significant escalation in U.S. opposition to the Hague-based tribunal. The measures target the court as an institution, following previous penalties imposed on more than a dozen of its judges and prosecutors.
“Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in a declaration outlining the restrictions. Rubio, who has previously characterized the tribunal as a “fatally politicized supranational court” that has maliciously abused its authority, vowed to take it apart “brick by brick” if required.
The sanctions were imposed just hours after the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, a South African-born human rights official and former ICC judge, would receive the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. Pillay served on the court from 2003 to 2008 and later led a U.N. inquiry concluding that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, a finding Israel strongly disputed.
Under the new designations, all assets of the ICC under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and American companies and individuals are generally prohibited from conducting business with the court. The Treasury Department has granted an 180-day window during which some services may continue, allowing member states time to address Washington’s concerns.
“We have structured this action to provide an opportunity for States Parties to negotiate and present a solution to address our concerns,” Rubio said. “If these efforts do not bear fruit, we will continue to adjust accordingly.”
The ICC responded by condemning the sanctions as an attempt to intimidate cooperation and interfere with its judicial functions. ICC President Tomoko Akane affirmed that the court would continue to fulfill its mandate with independence and impartiality, urging its 125 member states to help secure adequate resources for its survival.
Both the United States and Israel are not parties to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. Washington has long objected to the court’s investigation of alleged war crimes committed by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan, as well as its issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli leaders regarding actions in Gaza. The court maintains that it retains jurisdiction over crimes committed on the territory of member states, regardless of the nationality of the accused.
Pillay, who currently serves on the International Court of Justice, referenced the U.S. campaign against the ICC in a video message upon learning of her award. “We are living through an era when international law and human rights are under significant political attack,” she said, noting that the assault on the court was a visible manifestation of this trend.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office criticized the Nobel decision, stating that the committee had lost its moral compass. In a post on X, the office described Pillay as a “bigot” who built her career on what it termed “blood libels against the one and only Jewish state.”
The sanctions follow a speech Rubio delivered on Wednesday in Athens, where he criticized Western governments for ceding national sovereignty to international bureaucracies. Standing before the Acropolis, Rubio argued that nations were increasingly outsourcing their decision-making to global entities beyond their control.
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