The United States has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), with the administration stating it will ban transactions with the tribunal and cripple its ability to operate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the measures, asserting that "President Trump will never allow the International Criminal Court to prosecute Americans."

The sanctions, imposed on Friday, come hours after a former judge of the ICC, Navi Pillay, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The prize committee cited her work in promoting international law and accountability for war crimes, noting that the award served as a reminder that "judges and institutions of international law are under political attack."

The ICC, established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, has been a point of contention for the U.S. administration. The U.S. has previously sanctioned ICC prosecutors and judges, but Friday's action targets the court itself, potentially impacting companies that provide services to it. Washington has particularly denounced the court over arrest warrants issued for Israeli officials and a past investigation into the actions of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, which has since been closed.

Despite the sanctions, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan condemned the move, stating it would not halt the tribunal's work. "The sanctions are intended to undermine the rule of law internationally and the work that an independent judicial institution is doing," Khan said. "Our work will continue across all our situations, our investigations and our prosecutions."

The court has 125 member states, including all European Union and most NATO members, though the United States and Turkey are not signatories to its founding Rome Statute. The court is based in The Hague, Netherlands.

While the administration has issued broad sanctions, the U.S. Treasury has also provided general licenses allowing some transactions related to telecommunications, software, pension payments, and ICC detainees. Rubio stated that the sanctions were structured to offer an opportunity for negotiations and a resolution to U.S. concerns. "Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC. We expect our allies... to rein in the court," Rubio added.

U.S. sanctions typically prohibit U.S.-based companies from engaging in any work with a sanctioned entity, affecting banking, insurance, and software cooperation. The Trump administration had previously imposed targeted sanctions on court officials during its first term, which were rescinded under President Joe Biden. This new round of sanctions was announced shortly after Trump returned to office in January 2025.

ICC officials had reportedly been preparing for potential sanctions, including transitioning from Microsoft software to open-source alternatives and securing new banking and health insurance arrangements. The court's registrar had previously called for the EU to consider using a "blocking mechanism" to shield European countries from the extraterritorial effects of U.S. sanctions.

A general view of the exterior of the International Criminal Court is seen in The Hague, Netherlands.