US Allies and UN Rebuke Washington's Sanctions on International Criminal Court

The United States has ratcheted up its confrontation with the International Criminal Court, imposing a fresh round of sanctions targeting the tribunal itself — a move that has drawn swift condemnation from some of Washington's closest allies, the United Nations and leading human rights organizations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that the US would bar transactions with what he described as a "rogue court," saying the measures would cut off its resources and cripple its capacity to function. He added that President Donald Trump would "never allow" the Hague-based institution to prosecute Americans.

The penalties, unveiled by the US Treasury Department, include a six-month initial grace period and carve-outs permitting certain transactions related to telecommunications, software, pension payments and detainee-related matters. Rubio indicated the sanctions were intended to give the court and its member states room to address Washington's grievances, and that they could be adjusted should those concerns go unmet.

The ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in cases where national authorities are either unable or unwilling to act. The United States and Israel have never joined the court, and the Trump administration argues that the tribunal has overstepped its authority by pursuing officials from non-member states.

In its response, the ICC characterized the US action as an "assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order." The court urged its 125 member states to come to its defense, warning that its survival now depends on the governments that created it. "This is not just about defending a single institution, but about safeguarding the international order grounded upon the rule of law," the ICC said, adding that history would judge the moment.

The sanctions against the court as a whole follow earlier US penalties against more than a dozen ICC judges and prosecutors, marking a significant escalation in Washington's campaign against the tribunal.

United Nations officials reacted with alarm. A statement from the spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply alarmed" by the anticipated impact on the court's ability to carry out its mandate, describing the decision as a serious blow to the collective pursuit of international criminal justice. UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk called the measures unacceptable and urged immediate steps to protect the institution, noting they were the latest in a series of retaliatory actions against ICC personnel for their work advancing accountability for grave human rights violations.

US allies that are party to the ICC also voiced dismay. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, whose country hosts the court, called the decision deeply regrettable and pledged that the Netherlands would stand firm in the court's defense. He noted that the sanctions would not take effect immediately and that the six-month window before implementation creates an opportunity for dialogue.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Japan said they regretted and strongly disagreed with the sanctions. They warned that if enforced, the measures would significantly affect the court's work, its dedicated staff and their families, while reaffirming their unity in supporting the ICC and their commitment to constructive engagement with non-member states.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Brussels would discuss support for the court with European Union counterparts on Monday and at an upcoming European Council meeting. He called for concrete protection, arguing that the court's independence must not depend on whom it investigates, and said Belgium is pressing for activation of the EU Blocking Statute to shield the tribunal.

Human rights groups similarly sounded the alarm. Philippe Bolopion, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said the Trump administration had made clear its aim to destroy the ICC and shield US and Israeli officials from facing charges. He stressed that the court exists to ensure no one is above the law, and urged governments that value accountability to condemn the move and act swiftly to protect the ICC, its staff and those who cooperate with it — starting with the European Union using its laws to mitigate the sanctions' regional impact.

James Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, described the sanctions as a calculated attack on the rule of law and the principles of judicial independence and equality underpinning it, calling them the latest step in a campaign of coercion aimed at destroying the system of international justice.

Amnesty International also weighed in, with Erika Guevara Rosas, its senior director for research, policy, advocacy and campaigns, saying the sanctions were designed to isolate and ultimately destroy the court. She called the move an existential attack that must fail, and urged states to take concrete action to resist it.

The standoff places Washington at odds with many of its traditional partners and raises questions about the future of a tribunal that has relied on international cooperation to carry out investigations and enforce its warrants. With the sanctions set to take effect after the grace period, diplomats and rights advocates are now looking to European capitals and other ICC member states to translate their statements of support into measures that can blunt the impact on the court's operations.