The administration of US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court on Friday, 9 October, only hours after one of the court’s former judges was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The move puts Washington on a diplomatic collision course with its European allies, many of whom strongly support the court.
The Nobel Peace Prize went to South African jurist Navi Pillay, who served on the ICC’s Appeals Chamber from 2003 to 2008. The Norwegian Nobel Committee explicitly described the award as a gesture of support for international tribunals at a time when judges and institutions of international law are under political attack.
The Trump administration has long been hostile to the court, which was founded in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. It has previously imposed sanctions on individual judges and officials. According to Reuters, Friday’s measures go considerably further, as they could potentially also punish companies that do business with the court.
Washington has denounced the ICC in particular over arrest warrants it issued, including one for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Overall, the court has issued arrest warrants against more than 70 people, among them Hamas figures, Russian President Vladimir Putin, former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
During his first term, Trump had already imposed targeted sanctions on court officials, which were rescinded under President Joe Biden. The new step is likely to strain transatlantic relations further and intensify the debate about the future of international criminal justice. For supporters of the court, the coincidence of the Nobel award and the sanctions on the same day underlines how contested international law has become.
Sources: Reuters (9 October 2026)
