Donald Trump to impose sanctions on International Criminal Court for ‘targeting’ US, allies
President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday to put financial and visa sanctions on ICC officials investigating US citizens and US allies.
US President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) for ‘targeting’ the United States and its allies, including Israel, according to a White House official.
Also Read: International Criminal Court prepares for possible US sanctions
The order will put financial and visa sanctions on individuals – as well as their family members – for assisting in ICC investigations of American citizens and US allies, the official noted.
Last week, US Senate Democrats blocked an effort by Donald Trump's Republicans to sanction the ICC for arrest warrants against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the latter's ex-defense minister, Yoav Gallant, over Israel's campaign in Gaza.
Benjamin Netanyahu is currently visiting Washington, becoming the first foreign leader hosted by the White House in Trump's second term, which began on January 20.
Trump's sanctions against ICC: Not a first
The war crimes tribunal came under fire during the Republican's first term as well. In 2020, Washington imposed sanctions on Fatou Bensouda, the ICC's then-prosecutor, and one of her top aides, for leading the ICC's investigation into alleged war crimes by American troops in Afghanistan.
The 125-member tribunal, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, is a permanent court which can prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression against the territory of member states or by their nationals.
The United States, China, Russia and Israel are not among its members.
(With Reuters inputs)