On August 18, 2026, the administration imposed sanctions on Tomoko Akane, the Japanese judge who is president of the International Criminal Court, and on Abdoulaye Seye, a Senegalese trial lawyer there. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote, “The Trump Administration is sanctioning ICC President Tomoko Akane and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye in our unwavering mission to protect Americans from this sham of a court.” The measures freeze any U.S. assets and restrict U.S. entities from dealing with them, starting September 17. Japan's foreign ministry called the decision “very unfortunate,” and the Netherlands, which hosts the court, said it disapproved.
They were the latest names on a list that began on February 6, 2025, when Trump signed Executive Order 14203, “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court,” which named the court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan. Further rounds followed in June, August and December 2025. The United Nations human rights office said the December 18 round “brings the total number of sanctioned ICC prosecutors and judges to 11,” and a U.N. expert called for the order's repeal. With Akane and Seye the count is at least 13. The administration has also sanctioned a U.N. special rapporteur and human rights organizations over cooperation with the court, and ICC judges and U.S.-based rights groups have sued over the measures.
The stated reason is the court's cases. Reuters reported that U.S. officials want the court to drop its arrest warrants against Israeli leaders as well as a past probe into American troops in Afghanistan. Reuters notes that Trump's opposition to the court goes back to his first term. Al Jazeera reports that relations deteriorated sharply after the court issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and that in July 2026 Rubio called the court an “intolerable threat” and pledged to dismantle it.
What may come next is reported but not confirmed. On September 20, 2026, Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter, that the administration has prepared sanctions against the entire court and plans to announce them soon; the Wall Street Journal reported similarly, citing officials. Both accounts rest on unnamed sources, the timing is described as unclear, and Reuters noted, “The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.” Nothing has been announced. Sanctioning the institution would bar U.S. persons from providing it funds, goods or services without a license, which Reuters said could reach its technology contracts, insurance and its American employees.
Update (September 25, 2026): Trump took the campaign to the United Nations. In his General Assembly speech on September 22 he said, “We will never allow US service members or anyone else to be investigated or given show trials by an anti-American tribunal with no jurisdiction over us,” called the court “an evil group of people,” and said, “I call on all nations that are members of the ICC to officially resign from this rogue institution immediately.” By September 24 only Naoero, the Pacific nation formerly known as Nauru, had followed during the General Assembly week, Reuters reported; Venezuela and Chad had announced plans to withdraw after Secretary of State Marco Rubio began his campaign in July. The Rome Statute has 125 parties.
Allies defended the court. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, whose country hosts it: “How can you possibly be opposed to prosecuting the very worst crimes?” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc had “the tools in our toolbox” to defend the court, and EU officials have discussed a blocking statute in response to the potential U.S. sanctions. Japan, whose national Tomoko Akane is the court's president, called the proposed sanctions “very unfortunate.” Reuters also reported that Trump has said the campaign is aimed at protecting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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