The Trump administration imposed sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court itself, blocking US entities from conducting financial transactions with the institution in what Secretary of State Marco Rubio framed as a defense of American sovereignty.

The measures target the court as an institutional entity rather than individual judges or prosecutors, marking an escalation from prior US sanctions on 17 ICC officials. Rubio stated: "Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC." The administration accuses the ICC of threatening American sovereignty and seeking to prosecute US citizens. A six-month grace period allows member states to continue funding operations while negotiating what Washington describes as a "solution to address" US concerns.

The sanctions prohibit US companies from providing goods or services to the ICC, including banking and software support. Rubio called on US allies that are ICC signatories, notably the United Kingdom, to "rein in" the institution. The Netherlands, which hosts the court in The Hague and is a NATO ally, faces particular pressure; Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said the sanctions would seriously damage the court's ability to function.

The ICC responded that the measures constituted "an assault on the rule of law" and said it "will not be deterred." The court stated that no one should face punishment for serving justice and added: "History will judge this moment."

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the decision "a serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar." The UK joined Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands in reaffirming continued support for the court.

The Trump administration's stated grievances include a past ICC investigation into US military actions in Afghanistan, which the court has since closed, and arrest warrants for Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rubio did not condition lifting sanctions on withdrawal of those warrants.

The ICC, founded in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, counts 125 member states. The administration characterizes the court as run by "globalists" who threaten American interests.

The timing coincided with former ICC judge Navi Pillay being awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for promoting peace and international law.