US Imposes Sanctions on International Criminal Court

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced U.S. sanctions on the International Criminal Court as an institution on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. In a video address posted to social media, he said the United States will ban transactions with the court, cutting off resources, and that Americans are not subject to its jurisdiction. The first-round measures could penalize companies that provide financial, technological and other services. The U.S. has never been an ICC member; the court has 125 member states, including all EU countries and all NATO members except the U.S. and Turkey. Rubio said either the ICC will end its threats or the U.S. will end the ICC, urged allies to rein it in, and said President Trump will never allow the court to prosecute Americans. Washington has cited the 2024 warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a now-closed Afghanistan troop investigation. Italy, France and Germany refused to comply with that warrant. In August 2026 the State Department sanctioned ICC President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye. The ICC rejected the sanctions as an assault on the rule of law and called on its 125 member states to help it function. Nazhat Shameem Khan condemned the sanctions to Reuters. The European Commission called the move deeply regrettable and pledged support for the ICC. The Nobel award to Navi Pillay came hours before; the sanctions campaign predated the award.