Eight US Allies Condemn Trump Administration’s Sanctions Against ICC

DID Press: Foreign ministers of eight US-allied countries have condemned the Trump administration’s newly announced sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), warning that the measures could seriously disrupt the court’s work and undermine the rule of law in the international system.

In a joint statement issued on October 9, the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom said they “regret and strongly disagree with” the US decision. They reaffirmed their support for the court’s independence, impartiality and integrity, warning that the sanctions could significantly affect its operations, staff and their families.

The ICC also strongly rejected the measures, describing them as an attempt to obstruct justice and prevent the court from carrying out its mandate. The court warned that the sanctions threaten the rule of law and the foundations of the international legal order.

Established in 2002, the ICC investigates and prosecutes genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. The court said it would continue fulfilling its mandate under the Rome Statute and called on member states to provide the resources needed to sustain its operations.

Nazhat Shameem Khan, the ICC’s deputy prosecutor, also criticised the sanctions, saying the court had taken steps to protect its operations and would continue its work despite the pressure.

The latest measures expand Washington’s pressure campaign against the court, which the United States is not a member of. Unlike earlier sanctions targeting individual judges and prosecutors, the new measures could also affect companies and service providers doing business with the ICC, including through restrictions on access to US financial services, technology and transactions involving the US dollar

The diplomatic dispute intensified on the same day South African jurist Navi Pillay, a former ICC judge, was awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The sanctions announcement and the award highlighted the growing international disagreement over the role of the court and its pursuit of accountability for serious international crimes.