The US government, led by Donald Trump, has renewed its clash with the International Criminal Court (ICC) after imposing sanctions on three NGOs that were assisting the ICC in investigating alleged war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people.
In a statement dated Friday, September 5, 2025, US Secretary Marco Rubio announced that the government had sanctioned Al Haq, Al Mezan, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, which it accused of facilitating the ICC’s “illegitimate actions against Israel”.
“Today, the Trump Administration is sanctioning three NGOs—Al Haq, Al Mezan, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, for aiding in the ICC’s illegitimate actions against Israel,” Rubio said.
Trump Administration Unapologetic for Standing with Israel
He further stressed that the Trump administration would continue to defend US allies from what he described as ICC overreach.
“The United States will continue to protect our sovereignty and the sovereignty of our allies from the ICC’s overreach,” Rubio added.
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In response, the three sanctioned organizations issued a joint statement condemning the sanctions, calling them draconian.
“These measures, enacted during a time of genocide against our people, are a cowardly, immoral, illegal, and undemocratic act,” the statement read.
Previously, the Trump-led administration had retaliated against the ICC by placing sanctions on the court after it issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of committing war crimes in Gaza in November 2024.
US Government Imposes Sanctions on ICC
In February 2025, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14203, imposing sanctions on ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan and granting the US authority to penalize individuals and entities involved in ICC investigations targeting Americans or Us allies, including Israel.
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The Trump administration argued that the ICC had no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is a party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC.
“I, Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, find that the International Criminal Court (ICC), as established by the Rome Statute, has engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.
The ICC has, without legitimate basis, asserted jurisdiction and opened preliminary investigations concerning personnel of the United States and certain of its allies, including Israel. Furthermore, it has abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant,” Trump stated.
Subsequently, in August 2025, the Trump administration expanded these sanctions to include several ICC judges and prosecutors involved in authorizing or upholding those arrest warrants.
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