Washington has already imposed sanctions on several prosecutors and judges, but targeting the court itself would be an unprecedented move.
Sources report that the decision on “sanctions against an institution” could be made soon, with ICC representatives and diplomats from member states convening special meetings to discuss the possible consequences.
A State Department spokesperson accused the ICC of claiming “purported jurisdiction” over US and Israeli personnel and warned that Washington would take action to protect its interests if the court did not make “critical structural changes.”
Sanctions against the entire institution could affect the ICC's daily operations, from salaries and access to banking services to software. As a precautionary measure, staff have been paid their salaries for the rest of 2025 in advance.
The ICC has indicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders for crimes in Gaza. Some ICC member states plan to pressure the UN General Assembly to reject further US sanctions, but US officials suggest that an escalation of the situation is likely.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the court a “threat to national security” and an instrument of “lawfare.”
It should be noted that neither Israel nor the United States are members of the ICC. However, the ICC recognizes Palestine as a member and thus claims jurisdiction to judge actions committed on Palestinian territory. Both Israel and the United States reject this interpretation.
(reuters, sab)