US Preparing Heavy Sanctions Against ICC, Pushing for Effective Exclusion From International Financial Network

The Donald Trump administration is reportedly preparing high-intensity sanctions that would effectively block the International Criminal Court (ICC) from financial transactions.

Citing obtained government documents and U.S. officials, the U.S. daily The Wall Street Journal reported on the 20th local time that the Trump administration is preparing large-scale sanctions against the ICC.

According to the report, the sanctions proposal includes banning most transactions with the ICC, excluding telecommunications-related services, after a grace period of six to seven months.

In particular, once implemented, the sanctions could block the ICC's U.S. dollar transactions, potentially paralyzing its operations and isolating the court from a significant portion of the international financial system.

It has not yet been determined when the sanctions proposal will be finalized and announced.

However, U.S. officials stated that it could be finalized during this week, which coincides with the UN General Assembly, or shortly thereafter.

A State Department spokesperson did not disclose specific details of the sanctions in advance, but reaffirmed the existing stance that Secretary of State Marco Rubio views the ICC as a threat to U.S. sovereignty.

The Trump administration has stepped up pressure on the ICC, taking issue with the court's issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in November 2024.

Following the signing of an executive order sanctioning the ICC in February of last year, it has successively sanctioned ICC officials.

Last month, President Tomoko Akane and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye were also added to the sanctions list.

The newly pursued sanctions are much broader in scope, as they broadly restrict transactions with the ICC itself rather than just targeting specific individuals.

Secretary Rubio previously stated, "The Trump administration is prepared to take additional steps, as necessary, to systematically dismantle the ICC until it can no longer threaten U.S. sovereignty."

The ICC is a permanent international court established in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2002 under the Rome Statute.

It has prosecuted and punished former and current heads of state and other individuals who have committed crimes against humanity, such as war crimes or genocide.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.