THE HAGUE — The Trump administration launched sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its top prosecutors. The action follows an executive order issued by Donald Trump in February 2025, which stated that sanctions on the ICC were a result of court actions targeting the United States and Israel.

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche sent a letter to ICC President Tomoko Akane dated June 29. The letter was released to the public on Thursday. In the letter, Blanche wrote, "The ICC has acted in an increasingly lawless and illegitimate manner."

The sanctions extend to any group or organisation that aids in investigations of US citizens and allies. In October 2025, the Trump administration levied economic penalties against three Palestinian rights groups accused of participating in the court's investigations of Israeli crimes.

The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute. Blanche wrote, "The ICC has no jurisdiction over U.S. persons — anywhere in the world — and any attempt to assert such authority is illegitimate, unlawful and a direct affront to the sovereignty of the United States." Blanche accused the ICC of pursuing investigations driven as much by political pressure and institutional self-interest as by legal merit.

In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes. The ICC also issued warrants for several top Hamas officials. Israel is not a party to the Rome Treaty, while Palestine is a party to it. Israel has rejected the ICC's authority. Netanyahu said he will still visit New York City in the future despite the threat of arrest. Three ICC judges filed a lawsuit in a Manhattan federal court against the Trump administration's sanctions.