Trump Administration Prepares Sweeping Sanctions Against International Criminal Court

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to impose extensive economic sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to The Wall Street Journal, citing official sources in Washington. The announcement could come as early as this week, coinciding with the start of the UN General Assembly session. These measures are expected to block most dollar transactions after a grace period of several months, potentially isolating the ICC from the global financial system.

This potential action stems from an ongoing dispute between the U.S. and the ICC. The court previously issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. In February 2025, following his return to the White House, Trump implemented partial sanctions against the ICC, accusing it of undermining Israeli sovereignty. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio further threatened in July 2026 to "dismantle the ICC brick by brick," alleging it undermined U.S. sovereignty.

Personal sanctions are already in place against several ICC officials, including Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan. The ICC has not yet responded to The Wall Street Journal's inquiry regarding the potential new U.S. measures. The article also notes that Trump does not plan to meet with Netanyahu during the UN General Assembly session, though he scheduled a meeting with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has previously made critical remarks about Netanyahu and Israeli military actions in Gaza.