US Imposes New Sanctions on International Criminal Court
In Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that the U.S. is imposing additional sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC). He urged American allies to assist in limiting what he referred to as the actions of a “rogue” institution.
In his statement, Rubio emphasized that the U.S. is banning more transactions with the ICC due to its threats of legal action against American military personnel, border agents, and political leaders.
“For decades, many, both from the Republican and Democratic parties, have dismissed the notion that the ICC holds any authority to prosecute American citizens, including military members and political figures,” he remarked. This stance is rooted in the fact that the U.S. has never formally joined the court, he added.
Rubio asserted, “We don’t need that court. We don’t want it.” He pointed out that the ICC is aiming to prosecute Border Patrol agents tasked with defending U.S. borders, as well as elected officials focused on national security.
Furthermore, he expressed concern over the ICC’s desire for increased power, suggesting it comes at the cost of U.S. sovereignty. “President Trump will ensure that the ICC cannot prosecute Americans,” he stated.
“Our message is straightforward,” Rubio concluded, “the United States and its citizens are not under the jurisdiction of this illegitimate ICC. There’s bipartisan agreement on this, yet only President Trump has the determination to take essential actions to address this issue completely.”
He warned, “The ICC must either cease its threats, or we will dismantle the court ourselves. If they persist, the U.S. will methodically work to break down the ICC until American citizens no longer face threats from it.”
Earlier that same day, former ICC judge Navanethem Pillay received the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in ensuring accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
On Wednesday, Rubio spoke in Athens, Greece, where he called on Western nations to join the U.S. in prioritizing national power over bureaucratic global entities.
The U.S. did not ratify the 2002 Rome Statute that established the ICC, setting it apart from countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, and most European nations, with legislators from both sides of the aisle expressing concerns that the court could infringe on U.S. sovereignty.
Sanctions were first placed on ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan by President Trump in February 2025, following his threat to jail Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes concerning Palestinians in Gaza.
The ICC had initiated an investigation into claims of war crimes by American troops in Afghanistan in 2020. Sanctions were imposed on two of the prosecutors involved in that inquiry during Mike Pompeo’s tenure as Secretary of State.
Though these sanctions were lifted during the Biden administration, they were reinstated in June 2025 against multiple ICC officials in an effort to have the tribunal cease its investigation.
In December of the previous year, a Trump administration official voiced concerns about the ICC potentially targeting the 47th president or other U.S. officials for prosecutions once a new administration takes office in January 2029.
