President Donald Trump signed an executive order placing sanctions on people at the International Criminal Court who are involved in prosecuting Americans, or allies of the United States including Israel.
The order resembles a bill that passed the House of Representatives last month but was blocked by Senate Democrats. It freezes any of the sanctioned individuals’ U.S. assets and blocks them and their families from visiting the United States. The list of those sanctioned has not yet been made public.
The executive order states that the ICC “has engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.” Neither country is party to the court.
Trump signed it during a Washington, D.C. visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom the court is seeking to arrest for war crimes in Gaza. The United States is among a number of countries that have pledged not to honor the warrant.
Trump signed a similar order in his first term after the court, based in the Hague, investigated war crimes by American troops in Afghanistan.
The court has taken measures ahead of the anticipated sanctions, including paying salaries in advance.
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