WSJ: Trump administration moves for sweeping financial sanctions on ICC

The Trump administration is preparing to impose sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court, according to officials, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s efforts to weaken the institution after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The measures would bar most transactions with the ICC after a six- to seven-month grace period, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and US officials.

The sanctions could potentially cripple the court by preventing it from conducting transactions in US dollars and cutting it off from a large part of the global financial system. The timing of a final decision remains uncertain.

However, some US officials said the measures could be finalised as early as this week during the United Nations General Assembly or shortly afterwards.

A State Department spokesman declined to comment on any potential sanctions decisions but referred to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s position that the ICC poses a threat to US sovereignty. The Treasury Department offered no immediate comment, while the International Criminal Court did not respond to a request for comment.

The United States has already sanctioned several ICC officials as part of its campaign against the court.

According to officials, the new measures under consideration by the Trump administration are expected to be significantly broader in scope and more damaging to the ICC.

By Jeyhun Aghazada