US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing sanctions on officials and staff of the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing what he called "unfounded legal actions" against the United States and its key ally, Israel.
The order, issued on February 6, 2025, blocks ICC personnel and their family members from entering the United States and freezes their US-based assets. It also extends sanctions to individuals who assist the court’s investigations.
The US government has not disclosed the names of those affected by the latest sanctions. However, a similar measure during Trump’s first term in 2020 targeted then-ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.
The new executive order follows the ICC’s recent investigations into alleged war crimes committed by US forces in Afghanistan and Israeli military personnel in Gaza.
The sanctions come in response to arrest warrants issued by the ICC in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif.
The court accused them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the 15-month-long war between Israel and Hamas, which began after Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The ICC judges stated there were "reasonable grounds" to pursue charges against all three individuals, though Deif was later killed during the conflict.
The Netherlands, which hosts the ICC headquarters in The Hague, expressed regret over the US sanctions.
Dutch Foreign Minister Kaspar Veldkamp emphasized that the ICC plays a crucial role in the global fight against impunity.
Meanwhile, Trump’s decision has sparked mixed reactions in the US, where both Republicans and some Democrats previously condemned the ICC’s arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.
The sanctions follow Trump’s controversial proposal suggesting that the US take control of Gaza, develop its economy, and relocate its Palestinian residents under unspecified conditions to neighboring countries.
The proposal faced widespread criticism from international leaders and human rights organizations.
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