US considers broad sanctions that could block most ICC financial transactions globally.
Proposed measures could disrupt dollar payments and operations after a grace period.
Move follows ICC warrants against Netanyahu and escalating US pressure.
The Trump administration is preparing sweeping sanctions against the International Criminal Court. The move follows the ICC’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and could block most transactions involving the court, cutting it off from much of the global financial system.
Most transactions involving the ICC would be prohibited after a six- to seven-month grace period, US officials and documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal said. The proposed restrictions could stop the court from carrying out transactions in US dollars. They could also disrupt its operations far beyond earlier sanctions aimed at specific officials.
The timing of a final decision remains uncertain. Some US officials said it could come as early as this week during the United Nations General Assembly meeting or shortly afterward.
US Pressure Campaign
Washington is widening its pressure campaign. A State Department spokesman declined to preview any sanctions decision but pointed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s position that the ICC poses a threat to American sovereignty.
The Treasury Department declined to comment. The International Criminal Court did not respond to a request for comment.
The US has already imposed sanctions on several ICC officials. Those targeted include former Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, ICC President Tomoko Akane, several judges, the court’s two deputy prosecutors and the lead prosecutor in the case against Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. Khan was removed in July following sexual assault allegations. He has denied any sexual misconduct.
Broader Fallout
The new measures go much further. US officials said the sanctions under consideration would be considerably broader and more damaging than previous steps.
Instead of targeting named officials, the proposed sanctions would cover a wide range of transactions involving the ICC. Documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal show that transactions related to communications services would be exempt.
Supporters of the court are trying to respond. European countries and other major ICC backers, including Japan, have pledged to defend the court against the Trump administration’s pressure. It remains unclear what practical steps they could take. One possible option is for the European Union to require banks across the bloc to keep providing services to the court.
Rubio’s ICC Stance
Rubio signalled this shift months ago. In July, he said the administration was preparing an extensive campaign against the ICC and would dismantle the court “brick by brick” if necessary.
Rubio has argued that the court’s decision to pursue officials from countries that are not ICC members sets a dangerous precedent and threatens US sovereignty. Neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the ICC.
That position contrasts with Rubio’s earlier record. In 2022, as a US senator, he co-sponsored a resolution backing an ICC investigation into alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Russia, like the United States and Israel, is not an ICC member. The court later issued arrest warrants in 2023 for Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials.
Netanyahu Case Escalation
The break with the ICC deepened over Israel. Washington’s ties with the court deteriorated sharply after the ICC pursued Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
In 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. The court accused them of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. It alleged that they blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza to pressure Hamas, conduct it said could amount to violations of international humanitarian law. Netanyahu and Gallant have denied the allegations.
The Israel-related cases did not stop there. Former ICC prosecutor Karim Khan also sought arrest warrants for Hamas leaders over their role in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Those Hamas leaders have since been killed in fighting or assassinations.
The court has also been investigating two far-right members of Netanyahu’s government Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The investigation concerns their alleged roles in expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which the United Nations says violate international law.
