President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday imposing sanctions and visa restrictions on International Criminal Court (ICC) officials involved in investigations targeting U.S. and Israeli personnel. The order responds to the ICC issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Several Hamas leaders were also charged with alleged war crimes during Israel’s Gaza campaign.
The Trump administration condemned the ICC’s actions, calling them a “shameful moral equivalency” and an attack on U.S. allies. The charges against Israeli leaders include claims of using “starvation as a method of warfare” and deliberately restricting humanitarian aid to target civilians. Israeli officials dismissed the allegations as false and antisemitic.
Trump’s executive order argued that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the U.S. or Israel, neither of which are signatories to the Rome Statute that established the court. According to the White House, the U.S. maintains a robust judiciary system that makes the ICC’s interference unnecessary and illegitimate.
The executive order applies financial sanctions and travel restrictions not only to ICC officials but also to their family members. It was signed just days after Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, signaling strong U.S. support for Israel in the face of international legal scrutiny.
In response, the ICC condemned the sanctions as an attack on its independence, calling on its 125 member states to stand against U.S. actions. “The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice to victims of atrocities,” said an ICC spokesperson.
The ICC, based in The Hague, Netherlands, lacks enforcement mechanisms and relies on its member nations to execute arrest warrants. Most heads of state enjoy legal immunity under international law, further complicating the ICC’s ability to hold high-ranking officials accountable.
Earlier this year, the House passed a bill to sanction the ICC, but it was blocked by Senate Democrats. This latest executive order bypasses the legislative process, underscoring Trump’s aggressive stance toward international organizations perceived as hostile to U.S. and Israeli interests.
