The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on four senior members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for their roles in pursuing cases against American and Israeli officials.
The measures target ICC judges Kimberly Prost of Canada and Nicolas Guillou of France, along with deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. According to the State Department, they were sanctioned for efforts to investigate and prosecute nationals of the United States and Israel without consent.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision reflects Washington’s rejection of what he called the ICC’s “politicization, abuse of power, disregard for our national sovereignty, and illegitimate judicial overreach.” He emphasized that the United States views the Court as a national security threat and pledged to take “whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our troops, our sovereignty, and our allies.”
The sanctions prohibit Americans and US financial institutions from conducting business with the four ICC officials and block any assets they hold in the United States. A Treasury Department fact sheet stated the move is intended to impose “tangible and significant consequences” on those engaged in actions against the US and Israel.
The decision follows earlier sanctions imposed on ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, as well as United Nations special rapporteur Francesca Albanese. Republican lawmakers have also advanced proposals to expand punitive measures against ICC officials.
“The Trump Administration will not remain on the sidelines as the ICC continues with its politicization and abuse of power,” a senior State Department official told the Washington Free Beacon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the decision, calling it a "firm measure against the mendacious smear campaign against the State of Israel and the IDF, and for truth and justice."