Trump Sanctions ICC, Targets Investigatory Actions on US, Israel

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over alleged war crimes related to the Gaza conflict following the October 2023 Hamas attack. The sanctions target individuals assisting in ICC investigations concerning U.S. citizens or allies, affecting their financial and visa statuses along with their families. Trump condemned the ICC's actions as 'illegitimate and baseless,' arguing they undermine U.S. sovereignty and national security, while also creating a 'shameful moral equivalency' between Hamas and Israel. Additionally, Trump established a task force to combat what he termed anti-Christian bias, further emphasizing his administration's focus on cultural and religious issues. Critics, including Senate Democrats, have opposed Trump's measures against the ICC, claiming they threaten international law and diplomatic relations. This is not the first instance of Trump's actions against the ICC, as he previously sanctioned court officials during his first term due to investigations into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan.