The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has prepared sanctions targeting the entire International Criminal Court (ICC) and could announce them soon, escalating Washington's efforts to pressure the global tribunal.
The sanctions plan has been disclosed by two sources reportedly familiar with the matter.
The administration has openly opposed the ICC and has sought to undermine its work, including by demanding that the court drop arrest warrants against Israeli leaders and end a previous investigation into U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a campaign in July aimed at isolating the court and called on other countries to withdraw from the tribunal.
Washington has already imposed sanctions on several ICC judges and prosecutors, but has so far stopped short of sanctioning the court as an organisation.
The exact timing of any new measures remains unclear. The Wall Street Journal reported that the decision could be finalised as soon as this week, during the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Organisation-wide sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury could prevent U.S. citizens and companies from providing funds, goods or services to the ICC without a licence from the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Banks can also restrict transactions beyond what is legally required because of their reliance on access to the U.S. financial system, potentially affecting the court's dealings with international suppliers and institutions.
ICC officials have warned that sanctions against the organisation could disrupt operations including the purchase of IT services and insurance, the hiring of investigators and routine financial transactions. They could also affect payments to dozens of American employees.
Trump's opposition to the ICC dates back to his first term in office. The issue resurfaced after his re-election in November 2024, when the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.
The ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Under its founding framework, the court generally acts when national authorities are unable or unwilling to genuinely investigate or prosecute such crimes.
The United States has never been a member of the ICC.
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