Washington’s relations with key allies have hit fresh tensions.
The United States government formally announced sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 9 October 2026. The decision immediately sent shockwaves across the international community. Eight core Western allies, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark, subsequently released a joint statement voicing “strong opposition and deep regret” over Washington’s sanctions, laying bare major rifts within the Western bloc over the multilateral international order.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in a release that President Donald Trump would never allow the court to prosecute American personnel. He threatened to cut off funding to “cripple” what Washington describes as a “rogue court”. The US stressed that the move aims to shield officials from the United States and its allies such as Israel from what it views as politically motivated prosecutions.
Nevertheless, the sweeping sanctions have triggered pushback from its allies. As States Parties to the Rome Statute, the eight nations said in their joint statement that the ICC serves as a core pillar for upholding global justice and curbing grave crimes. US financial sanctions would severely hamper the court’s operations. The Dutch Prime Minister has publicly pledged to use diplomatic channels to prevent the sanctions from taking practical effect.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the European Union issued responses promptly. The UN condemned the sanctions as an assault on the foundations of the international legal order. The EU said it is preparing necessary measures to ensure the ICC can continue to carry out its mandate free from external intimidation, while protecting operators within the EU single market.
ICC President Tomoko Akane and the court’s Deputy Prosecutor responded that the ICC will not yield to political pressure from the United States.