US imposes sanctions on four ICC judges over 'abuse of power'

Ryan Chua, Bloomberg News on Jun 5, 2025

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WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court for alleged “transgressions” against the U.S. and Israel, escalating pressure on what the U.S. labels a highly politicized institution.

The decision follows President Donald Trump’s executive order in February authorizing sanctions on ICC officials who investigate the U.S. and its allies.

The latest penalties single out two judges in the ICC’s appeals division who authorized an inquiry into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan, and two judges from the pre-trial and trial division for issuing arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

“These four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. “This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel.”

The judges are Beti Hohler, Solomy Balungi Bossa, Reine Alapini- Gansou and Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza, according to a State Department statement.

The Hague-based court said it “deplores” the sanctions, calling them an attempt to undermine its independence.

Trump and his allies have long accused the ICC interfering in U.S. affairs. During his first term, he slapped sanctions on an ICC prosecutor and one of her aides for investigating accusations of American war crimes in Afghanistan.

The court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last November year over allegations of war crimes in Gaza. The Israeli government has denied the accusations, and the Biden administration rejected the court’s authority.

Neither the U.S. nor Israel is a party to the court, which was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, genocide and other atrocities. It has issued 60 arrest warrants, including for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and has detained 21 people.