Trump's Sanctions on the ICC

February 10th, 2025

Dhruv Arun

Donald Trump is once again taking aim at the International Criminal Court (ICC), and this time, it’s all about Israel. On Thursday, Trump announced new sanctions against ICC officials who are investigating Israeli leaders for war crimes in Gaza. This isn’t the first time he’s done something like this. Back in 2020, he imposed similar sanctions when the ICC looked into American military actions in Afghanistan. Now, with the court targeting a close U.S. ally, Trump is doubling down.

So, what does this actually mean? The sanctions are mainly aimed at ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan and his team. While officials don’t have all the details yet, it’s safe to assume their assets could be frozen, and they’ll probably be banned from entering the U.S. Basically, Trump is complicating foreign affairs for them in hopes that they’ll drop the case.

Why Does the U.S. Even Care About the ICC?

Even though the ICC was created in 2002 to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity, the U.S. has never actually joined. American leaders have always been wary that the court could one day go after U.S. soldiers or politicians. But under Trump, that suspicion turned into outright hostility.

In 2020, the ICC started investigating possible war crimes committed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Trump responded by sanctioning Fatou Bensouda, the ICC’s chief prosecutor at the time. Those sanctions were lifted when Biden took office, but now, Trump is bringing them back, this time to protect Israel.

The ICC recently issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of targeting civilians and blocking humanitarian aid in Gaza. Israel, backed by the U.S., insists that the charges are biased and unfair.

Law or Politics?

The timing of Trump’s move is pretty telling. Netanyahu just arrived in Washington for meetings, and Trump’s decision to sanction the ICC sends a clear message: the U.S. is standing with Israel, no matter what. It also helps Trump politically, since supporting Israel is a big deal for his conservative and evangelical voters.

People defending Trump’s decision argue that the ICC is biased, going after Israel and Western countries while ignoring war crimes committed by groups like Hamas. From their perspective, these sanctions are about protecting national sovereignty and keeping unelected foreign courts from messing with U.S. allies.

But on the flip side, this sets a dangerous precedent. If the U.S. can punish ICC officials for investigating its friends, what’s stopping Russia or China from doing the same? What if Putin decides to sanction ICC prosecutors for investigating Russian war crimes in Ukraine? It risks undermining the credibility of the entire system.

What Happens Now?

Unsurprisingly, the ICC isn’t happy. The ICC has condemned the sanctions, calling them an attack on justice. Over 79 countries have signed a statement warning that Trump’s move sets a dangerous precedent. The United Nations also spoke out, reminding everyone that even sanctioned ICC officials have the right to present their case to the Security Council.

But in reality, these sanctions probably won’t stop the ICC’s investigation. The court has continued working through political pressure before, and it’s unlikely they’ll back down now. What this does do, however, is make things harder for the ICC, especially if other countries follow Trump’s lead and refuse to cooperate with the court.

In the end, Trump’s actions raise serious questions about the future of international justice and whether political influence will continue to shape how global accountability is handled.