Trump sanctions ICC over prosecution of Americans, vows to cripple court

US President Donald Trump has sanctioned the International Criminal Court (ICC), vowing to cut off its funding and cripple its operations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the court of targeting Americans and described it as "rogue." The sanctions aim to ban transactions with the ICC, cutting off its resources. The move comes amid the U.S.'s longstanding opposition to the ICC, particularly over arrest warrants against Israeli officials and investigations into alleged crimes by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

The ICC's Deputy Prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan, condemned the sanctions, stating they would not deter the court from its responsibilities. The sanctions could have wider implications than previous measures targeting individual ICC officials, potentially affecting companies providing services to the institution. The U.S. issued four general licenses to allow certain transactions involving the court's telecommunications, software, pension payments, and detainees.

Despite the sanctions, the ICC had reportedly been preparing for such measures by moving office computers to open-source alternatives and making alternative arrangements for banking and health insurance. The sanctions announcement coincided with the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to South African jurist Navi Pillay, a former ICC Appeals Chamber judge.