Washington, D.C. — The U.S. government, under the leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump administration, has enacted sanctions against four judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The move targets figures involved in investigating alleged war crimes committed by U.S. and Israeli nationals, drawing sharp criticism from the ICC, the United Nations, and global human rights groups.
In an unprecedented move, the Trump administration has sanctioned four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over what it calls “baseless and politicised targeting” of the US and Israel.
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The sanctions—announced on Wednesday—freeze any assets held by ICC officials in U.S. jurisdictions and bar entry into the country. Targeted individuals include two judges, Kimberly Prost of Canada and Nicolas Guillou of France, and prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. Prost is sanctioned for authorizing a probe into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan, a previously dropped investigation. Guillou’s sanction stems from approving an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, related to allegations of war crimes during the Gaza conflict. Khan and Niang are penalized for maintaining the ICC’s investigative mandate into Israel, including upholding the warrant against Netanyahu and Gallant.
Secretary Rubio defended the decision, calling the ICC a “national security threat” and denouncing its “illegitimate and baseless actions” against the U.S. and Israel. Nonetheless, the ICC denounced the sanctions as a “flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution,” warning that such measures undermine accountability for atrocity crimes.
The United Nations also condemned the sanctions, reaffirming the Court’s vital role in global justice. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric asserted, “We firmly believe that the ICC is a key pillar of international criminal justice,” and called the sanctions “a severe impediment” to the office of the prosecutor.
France expressed “dismay,” emphasizing the importance of preserving judicial independence. Human rights advocates echoed these concerns, warning that the U.S. is setting a dangerous precedent of political intimidation to shield governments from legal accountability. Meanwhile, Israeli officials welcomed the move, describing it as a “firm measure against smear campaigns against the State of Israel.”
This latest round of sanctions continues a pattern of U.S. hostility towards the ICC, most notably during President Trump’s first term. Although some sanctions were lifted under President Biden, the court now faces renewed pressure amid ongoing global efforts to uphold international criminal law.
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