The International Criminal Court (ICC) has condemned the U.S. sanctions imposed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on ICC President Tomoko Akane and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye. Announced on Wednesday, these sanctions are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to undermine the ICC, which the administration claims threatens American sovereignty.
The ICC described the sanctions as a "flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution" and warned that such actions against its judges and staff could undermine the rule of law. Currently, nine of the eighteen judges and several other officials from the ICC have been sanctioned by the U.S.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called the sanctions "unacceptable" and urged nations to support international institutions that protect human rights. European leaders, including European Council President Antonio Costa and Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, also expressed their disapproval of the sanctions, emphasizing the need for international courts to operate independently.
Japan, the home country of ICC President Tomoko Akane, stated that it was "very unfortunate" that the U.S. targeted her. The Trump administration's sanctions began in February 2025 following the ICC's issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes. The U.S. has not joined the ICC and asserts that it lacks jurisdiction over Americans without U.S. consent. Cooperation with the ICC has varied among U.S. administrations, with the Obama and Biden administrations generally adopting a more cooperative stance.