President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing it of unfairly targeting the United States and its ally Israel. The order places financial and visa restrictions on individuals who assist in ICC investigations involving American citizens or their allies.
Trump signed this order while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington. The ICC had recently issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza, which Israel denies. The court also issued a warrant for a Hamas commander.
The ICC is an international court that can prosecute for crimes like genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Recently, it has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Taliban leaders, and Myanmar’s military leader for various alleged crimes.
More than 120 countries are members of the ICC, including the UK and many European nations, but both the US and Israel are not. The Netherlands, where the ICC is based, expressed regret over Trump’s decision. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said the ICC’s work is vital in fighting against impunity.
The White House accused the ICC of drawing false comparisons between Israel and Hamas by issuing arrest warrants for both at the same time. Trump’s executive order argued that the ICC’s actions threatened American security and sovereignty by opening the door for possible harassment and arrest of Americans.
The US has always opposed ICC jurisdiction over its citizens. In the past, Trump imposed sanctions on ICC officials investigating US forces for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, though President Joe Biden later lifted those sanctions.
Trump’s order also criticized the ICC for limiting Israel’s right to self-defense, while not holding Iran or anti-Israel groups accountable.
In addition, Trump recently proposed a plan to take control of Gaza after the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. He suggested resettling Palestinians and transforming Gaza into a Riviera of the Middle East. The plan has drawn criticism from Arab leaders and the United Nations, but Netanyahu has supported it.
Trump clarified on social media that the plan would not involve American troops but would involve temporarily relocating Palestinians while reconstruction takes place. The US government has since explained that any displacement would be temporary.
Netanyahu has continued his visit to Washington, meeting with US lawmakers and presenting Trump with a golden pager, a reference to Israel’s operation against Hezbollah in September 2024.
