The Trump administration on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, imposed new sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), as part of a campaign to dismantle the tribunal over its investigations into the United States and allies such as Israel. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the measures, which prohibit transactions with the court and aim to restrict its resources. The ICC denounced the move as an "assault on the rule of law" and called on its 125 member states to defend the institution.
The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 to prosecute genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. While the administration previously sanctioned individual prosecutors and judges, these new measures target the institution's broader operations. Secretary Rubio stated that the court is "politicized" and attempting to "illegally prosecute" Americans and Israelis. ICC President Tomoko Akane said the court acts independently based on law and evidence for the sake of victims.
The sanctions cut off the ICC from U.S.-based financial services, technology companies, and the use of U.S. dollars. U.S. companies and individuals currently doing business with the tribunal have been given six months to wind down those operations. In response, a coalition of eight nations—Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom—issued a joint statement expressing "strong disagreement" with the U.S. measures and pledging continued support for the court.
For U.S. and international businesses, the policy creates a legal requirement to sever ties with the tribunal. Companies providing services must end their contracts within the six-month grace period. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen noted that the Netherlands is discussing the "EU blocking statute" with the European Commission, a legal tool that could be used to prevent European companies from complying with these U.S. mandates.
The move establishes a precedent of using sanctions to target an international legal body, a step that Amnesty International described as an "existential attack" on the court. The broader diplomatic impact is already visible, as Rubio noted that countries such as Venezuela, Chad, and Naoero have recently moved to withdraw from the court. The administration has stated it will continue this campaign "piece by piece" unless the ICC ends its investigations into U.S. and allied personnel.