Why is Trump targeting International Criminal Court

The United States is reportedly preparing to impose sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) as part of an effort to dismantle the institution, which investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of severe atrocities worldwide. The Trump administration's move is a response to ICC arrest warrants issued for Israeli officials and a past probe into U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

The administration's Secretary of State Marco Rubio argues that the ICC, launched in 2002 and comprising 125 member states, threatens U.S. sovereignty and the sovereignty of its allies. Washington has sought support from member states to withdraw their backing. Initially targeting individual ICC judges and prosecutors, Rubio announced in July a campaign to isolate the court, vowing to employ all available tools to dismantle it brick by brick if necessary.

If implemented, entity-wide sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury would prohibit U.S. citizens and companies from providing funds, goods, or services to the court without a license from the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The sanctions could have a broad impact, including restricting personal credit cards and travel visas, halting contracts with companies offering services to the court, and impeding the hiring of outside investigators.

Sanctions could also have a chilling effect on non-U.S. organizations and individuals working with the court, as financial institutions, companies, and contractors may seek to avoid potential risks. Circumventing these sanctions would be challenging, as the U.S. holds significant influence in global finance due to the dollar's role in international trade.

The U.S. could hinder access to regular payments and banking by threatening to cut off any bank dealing with the court from the dollar system. However, payments could still be made through alternative methods, albeit with severe restrictions on institutions dealing with sanctioned individuals or entities.

This unprecedented move by the U.S. could set a dangerous precedent, as sanctioning an entire international institution like the ICC is unprecedented.