The administration of US President Donald Trump has prepared sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC) and plans to announce them soon, according to two sources familiar with the matter, a move that would escalate Washington’s campaign against the tribunal, Reuters reports.


The Trump administration has made clear its opposition to the ICC and has taken steps to undermine its activities. US officials have called on the court to drop arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, as well as a previous investigation into US troops in Afghanistan.


In July, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a campaign aimed at isolating the ICC and urged 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 institution.


According to the sources, sanctions against the ICC have been prepared, although the timing of any announcement remains unclear. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing officials, that a decision could be finalized as early as this week during the UN General Assembly session.


Targeting the ICC itself, as well as entities that cooperate with it, could significantly disrupt the court’s operations.


Entity-wide sanctions imposed by the US Treasury would generally bar US citizens and companies from providing funds, goods or services to the court without authorization from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Banks frequently take additional precautions in complying with US sanctions because of their reliance on access to the American financial system.


ICC officials have warned that sanctions against the organization could affect a range of operations, including the procurement of IT services and insurance, the hiring of investigators and routine financial transactions such as paying American employees.


Trump’s opposition to the ICC dates back to his first term in office. The issue resurfaced after his reelection in November 2024, when the ICC 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 accused of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The court asserts jurisdiction in cases where national authorities are unable or unwilling to genuinely prosecute alleged atrocities.


By Vafa Guliyeva