Trump administration defends US and Israeli sovereignty with new sanctions against four ICC judges

The Trump administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court over allegations against Israel. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

“These individuals directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without consent from the United States or Israel,” Rubio said. 

TRUMP UNVEILS SANCTIONS AGAINST INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FOR NETANYAHU ARREST WARRANT

Exterior View of new International Criminal Court building in The Hague. ((Photo by Michel Porro/Getty Images))

The sanctions against the Hague-based court are related to Trump Feb. 6 executive order. 

He signed the executive order punishing the ICC in response to its May 2024 arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity amid Israel’s ongoing conflict against Hamas. 

President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions against four ICC judges over the court’s role in allegations against Israel and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Getty Images / Fox News Digital)

Rubio said the four ICC judges “actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel.”

“The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies,” he said. “This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel.”

TRUMP SANCTIONS ON ICC PROTECTS US MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, FORMER NSC OFFICIAL SAYS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, in October 2023. The two Israeli leaders reportedly have been presented targets to strike in Iran in response to Tehran’s Oct. 1 missile attack on Israel. (Reuters/Pool)

He said the United States will take “whatever actions we deem necessary” to protect its sovereignty, that of Israel, and other U.S. allies from “illegitimate actions by the ICC.”

Rubio noted that member states of the court, “many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices” and to push back against the court for its “disgraceful attack” against the U.S. and Israel.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the ICC. 

The ICC only prosecutes cases when domestic law enforcement authorities cannot or will not investigate. Israel is not a member of the court. 

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Despite the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, the court has no police powers to enforce warrants, instead choosing to rely on cooperation from its member states.