THE HAGUE — The Netherlands is preparing for the United States to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court. U.S. officials warned Dutch counterparts that sanctions could be levied as early than Monday, September 21, 2026.

Dutch and ICC officials are requesting a six-month grace period before sanctions take effect. Officials argue the ICC needs time to sever ties with American companies to avoid financial penalties for those companies.

The Netherlands is seeking ways to help the ICC maintain payments to staff and protected witnesses. The government is also seeking to ensure security at the ICC detention facility is not disrupted. The proposed sanctions could prevent the International Criminal Court from conducting transactions in US dollars.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the sanctions as a “sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court.” The sanctions are retaliation for the ICC's investigations of officials from the U.S. and Israel. Proposed U.S. measures would generally bar U.S. citizens and companies from providing the ICC with money, goods, or services without a license from the U.S. Treasury.

Transactions involving communications services would be exempt from the proposed sanctions. The ICC migrated from Microsoft products to a German software provider earlier in 2026. The court also changed insurance and other financial providers to companies without a footprint in the United States.

The EU “blocking statute” can be used to protect European court staff by preventing European companies from complying with U.S. measures. It is unclear whether the EU blocking statute would shield the ICC itself because it is an international body, not a European one.

In August 2026, the United States added ICC President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye to the sanctions list, with restrictions taking effect on September 17, 2026. The United States has sanctioned more than a dozen current and former ICC staff members, including half of the court’s sitting judges. U.S. officials encouraged the Netherlands to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 authorizing sanctions against ICC judges and prosecutors. The ICC was sanctioned in 2025, resulting in loss of access to Microsoft email, frozen bank accounts, and a ban on entering the United States for its former chief prosecutor. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a campaign in July 2026 to further isolate the ICC and urged other countries to withdraw from it.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The United States and Israel are not member states of the ICC. The ICC was created in 2002 to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity when national authorities are unable or unwilling to do so.

Venezuela and Chad have announced plans to leave the ICC in recent months. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have withdrawn from the ICC. Chad cited the United States in its decision to withdraw from the ICC.

Chad Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul stated that a U.S. official expressed concerns regarding the functioning of the ICC and requested that Chad reconsider its membership during a phone call in July 2026.

Why It Matters

The impending sanctions represent an escalation in efforts to isolate the International Criminal Court, which relies on international cooperation for its operations. The potential restriction on US dollar transactions threatens the court's ability to function financially, while the withdrawal of member states like Chad shows growing diplomatic pressure. The Netherlands' efforts to secure a grace period and maintain operational continuity reflect the challenges facing international judicial institutions when confronted with unilateral economic measures from major powers.