Sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump against the International Criminal Court (ICC) have made its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, the first individual to be targeted. The sanctions are part of a broader effort to restrict the court’s work, particularly its investigations into Israeli officials for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
This week, Trump signed an executive order instructing US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to prepare a report within 60 days identifying individuals to be included in the sanctions. The US accuses the ICC of acting illegitimately and overstepping its authority by allegedly targeting both the US and Israel.
According to sources briefed by US government officials, an extension of the executive order has specifically named Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, as the first person on the list of those subject to sanctions.
The sanctions entail the freezing of any US assets belonging to Khan and others who are designated, as well as prohibiting them and their families from entering the US.
The executive order coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, where he expressed support for the move. Netanyahu, along with former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant, faces arrest warrants issued by the ICC.
During a visit to the US Congress on Friday, Netanyahu condemned the ICC, describing it as a scandalous body that undermines the rights of democracies to defend themselves.
In response to the sanctions, the ICC issued a statement denouncing the US actions. The court reaffirmed its commitment to standing by its staff and continuing its mission to deliver justice to victims of atrocities worldwide.
