WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has delivered an ultimatum to the International Criminal Court, warning that the U.S. may expand sanctions unless judges stop pursuing cases involving senior American and Israeli officials, according to a U.S. official cited by Reuters.
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The official said the administration has asked the court to terminate its Afghanistan investigation and drop the cases targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the Gaza war. Those demands, the official told Reuters, have been conveyed both to ICC member states — including close U.S. allies — and to the court itself.
If the ICC refuses, Washington is prepared to escalate its pressure campaign by sanctioning additional individuals and potentially the institution as a whole. Such a move would mark a significant shift in the U.S. confrontation with the tribunal, which the United States has never joined.
According to Reuters, U.S. officials fear the court could renew scrutiny of American conduct after Trump’s term expires in 2029, raising concerns that top officials — including the president, vice president, and defense leadership — might become targets.
“There is a growing concern that the court may attempt to investigate senior American leaders once this administration ends,” the U.S. official told Reuters.
Last year, ICC judges authorized arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif for alleged crimes connected to the Gaza conflict. The Afghanistan probe, opened in 2020, remains technically active despite being narrowed.
The U.S. has already sanctioned nine ICC personnel but has avoided steps that would disrupt the court’s operations. Reuters reported that the new measures under consideration could go much further.
The ICC declined to discuss the U.S. approach, noting that any changes to the Rome Statute — including immunity language sought by Washington — can only be approved by member states. Altering jurisdiction would require an even broader consensus.
Reuters also reported that the U.S. warning comes as questions mount over a deadly maritime operation in the Caribbean and Pacific targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels. Lawmakers have pushed for answers after two survivors of one strike were allegedly killed by U.S. forces, though the administration says the mission complied with the law. Officials would not say whether that scrutiny influenced their stance toward the ICC.
The U.S. has also raised concerns that future cases could emerge tied to Venezuela, though ICC prosecutors told Reuters they have received no formal requests to pursue American personnel.
Any attempt to codify immunity for specific American or Israeli officials would have to pass through the Assembly of States Parties and could be seen as challenging the foundational principles of the court.