The Trump administration has escalated its conflict with the International Criminal Court (ICC) by imposing sanctions on four of its officials. The sanctioned individuals include two judges and two prosecutors, who are being targeted for their involvement in investigations concerning alleged war crimes involving U.S. and Israeli nationals.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the ICC represents a "national security threat" and acts as an "instrument for lawfare" against the United States and its ally, Israel. The sanctioned officials are Judge Nicolas Yann Guillou of France, Judge Kimberly Prost of Canada, Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, and Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. These sanctions freeze any U.S. assets held by these individuals and restrict their financial activities within the U.S. financial system.
Judge Guillou was specifically cited for his role in authorizing arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. These warrants relate to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict in Gaza. Prosecutors Khan and Niang were penalized for their continued support of these ICC actions against Israel, including upholding the arrest warrants.
The United States, along with Israel, is not a member state of the ICC. The administration asserts that the court lacks jurisdiction over their nationals without their consent. This action follows a previous round of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration in June 2025 against other ICC judges. The ICC has condemned the sanctions, viewing them as an attempt to undermine its institutional integrity and judicial independence.
The ICC is also investigating alleged war crimes by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan, with Judge Prost having ruled to authorize an investigation into these matters. The sanctions highlight a persistent tension between nations that are not signatories to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, and the court's mandate to pursue accountability for international crimes.