US Senator demands ICC sanctions on Trump, Rubio for actions against court over Netanyahu warrant
“If European countries & other signatories to the International Criminal Court have any self-respect, they’d sanction Rubio & Trump for obstructing investigations of Netanyahu’s war crimes,” Van Hollen said.
United States Senator Chris Van Hollen has called on European countries and other signatories to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to impose sanctions on President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio over what he described as efforts by the Trump administration to undermine the court.
Van Hollen made the call on Monday in a post on X, following reports that the Trump administration is preparing sweeping sanctions targeting the ICC as part of its campaign against the court.
“If European countries & other signatories to the International Criminal Court have any self-respect, they’d sanction Rubio & Trump for obstructing investigations of Netanyahu’s war crimes,” Van Hollen said.
His comments came after reports that Washington is preparing measures that could target the ICC as an institution rather than individual judges and prosecutors.
According to Reuters, the proposed measures could restrict most transactions between U.S. entities and the ICC after a six- to seven-month grace period. The sanctions could also impede the court’s ability to conduct transactions in U.S. dollars and access important elements of the global financial system.
The reported action would represent a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign against the Hague-based court.
The administration has already imposed sanctions on several ICC officials. On August 18, Rubio announced sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, accusing them of participating in efforts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute officials from countries that had not accepted ICC jurisdiction.
The State Department said at the time that the administration’s broader campaign against the ICC would be “sweeping” and could include further measures aimed at reducing international support for the court.
Netanyahu, Gallant Arrest Warrants
The confrontation between Washington and the ICC has intensified following arrest warrants issued by the court in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
The ICC accused the two Israeli officials of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and disputes the court’s jurisdiction.
The United States and Israel are not parties to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, while the court currently has 125 member states.
The Trump administration has argued that the ICC has exceeded its authority by pursuing officials from countries that have not accepted its jurisdiction.
Rubio has described the court as a threat to U.S. sovereignty and said Washington’s objective is to counter what the administration considers the ICC’s overreach.
The administration’s campaign has also been linked to an earlier ICC investigation into alleged crimes involving U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
Growing International Concern
The prospect of broader U.S. sanctions has generated concern among European governments, particularly in the Netherlands, where the ICC is headquartered.
Dutch authorities are reportedly examining ways to protect the court’s ability to maintain financial operations, pay staff and protect witnesses if the proposed American sanctions are implemented. European Union governments are also considering possible measures to shield the court from the effects of U.S. sanctions.
The ICC has previously condemned U.S. sanctions against its officials, warning that targeting judicial personnel for carrying out their functions could undermine the international legal order.
Van Hollen’s intervention therefore places him directly at odds with the Trump administration’s position on the ICC, as the dispute widens from a disagreement over the court’s jurisdiction into a broader confrontation over international accountability and the operation of the world’s permanent court for prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression.
The reported U.S. measures against the ICC have not yet been fully implemented, but the administration has publicly signalled its intention to continue its campaign against the court.
