US sanctions ICC president and senior prosecutor amid campaign to dismantle court

The United States has recently imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court's (ICC) president, Tomoko Akane of Japan, and senior trial lawyer, Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, on August 18, 2026. These measures, announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are part of an ongoing campaign by the Trump administration to undermine the global tribunal. Rubio characterized the ICC as a "corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court" that has exceeded its mandate, specifically citing its efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials from governments not consenting to ICC jurisdiction.

This latest action stems from a February 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump, which declared a "national emergency" in response to the ICC's "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel". The US maintains that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over the United States and Israel, as neither country is a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court. The sanctions, which include asset freezes and travel bans, are also a response to the ICC's pursuit of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict.

In response, the International Criminal Court has vehemently condemned the sanctions as a "flagrant attack" on its independence. The court affirmed its commitment to continue its mandate of seeking justice for atrocities globally with impartiality and independence, stating that threatening judicial actors undermines the international legal order itself. These latest sanctions expand upon previous designations, with the US having now sanctioned several ICC officials, including judges and prosecutors, since the 2025 executive order.