The Trump administration is determined to completely undermine the International Criminal Court (ICC).
According to a report by the US Wall Street Journal on September 20, several informed US officials revealed that the Trump administration is preparing to impose comprehensive sanctions against the International Criminal Court. This is another major move taken by the US government to dismantle the institution following the issuance of an arrest order by the ICC against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Reuters also reported this news, stating that the US "plan to announce these sanctions measures soon."
According to sources cited in the report, the United States is preparing to impose sanctions, and the intensity of these sanctions is expected to be much greater than in the past. These sanctions will target a series of transactions involving the International Criminal Court, rather than individual officials. Relevant documents indicate that transactions related to communication services will be exempt from sanctions.
The sanctions will stipulate that, after a grace period of six to seven months, most transactions with the ICC will be prohibited. This move could significantly weaken the operation of the ICC, as the institution will not be able to conduct transactions in US dollars, thereby cutting off most of its connections to the global financial system.
It is currently unclear when a final decision will be made and announced. However, some American officials have stated that this measure could be finalized during this week’s United Nations General Assembly or within a few days thereafter.
The spokesperson for the United States State Department refused to disclose any sanctions decisions, but pointed out that Secretary of State Rubio believes the International Criminal Court poses a threat to U.S. sovereignty.
The U.S. Treasury Department has refused to comment. The ICC has not responded to requests for comments.
The ICC was established in 2002, located in The Hague, the Netherlands. Its main function is to prosecute and try individuals who commit genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, or aggression. It is worth noting that China, Russia, and the United States, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have not joined this statute. The United States signed the Rome Statute on December 31, 2000, but withdrew its signature before being ratified by Congress.
In recent years, the attitude of the US government towards the ICC has become increasingly hostile.
In fact, Trump's hostility towards the ICC has existed for a long time, even during his first term in office. This hostility was further exacerbated in November 2024, when Trump had just won the election, and the ICC prosecuted his ally—Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
On July 13th, U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo wrote an article in The Wall Street Journal, announcing that comprehensive diplomatic measures would be taken to 'disarm' the International Criminal Court, in order to eliminate its 'comprehensive threat to U.S. sovereignty'.
On July 24th, Karim Khan, the British-based chief prosecutor of the ICC, was removed from his position due to alleged misconduct. However, Khan repeatedly denied all the accusations against him.
According to reports, Karim Khan was elected as an ICC prosecutor in 2021. In May 2024, Khan requested the ICC to issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and others. In the same month, allegations of Khan engaging in sexual misconduct with a female staff member were reported to the ICC by a third party.
