The Independent
· collected 2026-10-09 · by Humeyra Pamuk and Steve Holland
President Trump’s administration has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) just hours after one of its former judges, Navi Pillay, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The sanctions target companies that provide services to the ICC, aiming to restrict its operations by cutting off financial resources and transactions. Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan condemned these measures, asserting they will not hinder the court’s work. The move escalates tensions between Washington and European allies, with many of them being member states of the ICC since its founding in 2002.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but all 2 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
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Leaning score withheld for article 68585: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-09
Washington has been set on a diplomatic collision course with European allies after US President Donald Trump’s administration targeted the International Criminal Court with sanctions on Friday.
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administration → set → Friday
The measures, announced hours after one of its former judges, Navi Pillay, won the Nobel Peace Prize, drew condemnation from the ICC’s deputy prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan, who said they would not halt the tribunal’s work.
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they → announce → work
The Trump administration has long been hostile to the court, having previously sanctioned its prosecutors and judges.
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administration → sanction → prosecutors
Friday’s action goes far further by potentially punishing companies that provide services to the court itself.
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that → go → court
"President Trump will never allow the International Criminal Court to prosecute Americans," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement reviewed by Reuters ahead of the official announcement.
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Rubio → allow → announcement
"That is why, today, the United States is sanctioning the International Criminal Court.
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States → sanction → Court
We will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate."
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We → ban → ability
ICC Deputy Prosecutor Khan told Reuters the sanctions "must be condemned".
"
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sanctions → tell → Reuters
The sanctions are intended to undermine the rule of law internationally and the work that an independent judicial institution is doing," Khan said.
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Khan → intend → that
"Our work will continue across all our situations, our investigations and our prosecutions."
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work → continue → situations
Washington has long been angry over ICC arrest warrants issued for Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and over a past investigation into actions of US soldiers in Afghanistan which the ICC has since closed.
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ICC → issue → which
The court, founded in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, counts 125 countries as member states, including all EU countries and all members of the Nato alliance apart from the United States and Turkey.
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court → found → States
It has received strong public backing in the past from member countries including major US allies, and is based in the Netherlands, an EU and Nato member.
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It → receive → Netherlands
Ms Pillay, the South African jurist who won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her work in international criminal justice, served as a judge on the ICC's Appeals Chamber from 2003-2008.
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who → win → 2003
In its citation, the prize committee said it had sought to "issue a reminder" at a time when "judges and institutions of international law are under political attack".
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judges → say → attack
"An international legal system in which war criminals are held to account and the victims of abuse see justice served is a precondition for a peaceful world," the committee said.
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committee → hold → world
Rubio said the sanctions had been structured to give the court and its member states an opportunity to address US concerns.
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sanctions → say → concerns
He did not provide further details, but a senior State Department official said the US Treasury would issue a set of licenses "to protect American interests", an apparent reference to temporary exemptions to some sanctions.
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Treasury → provide → sanctions
US expects allies to ‘rein in the court’
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allies → expect → court
US sanctions typically bar all US-based companies from any work with a sanctioned organization, forcing banks to shut accounts, insurers to end coverage and software companies to halt cooperation.
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companies → bar → cooperation
The Trump administration previously imposed targeted sanctions on court officials during his first term, which were rescinded under President Joe Biden.
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which → impose → Biden
Washington announced new sanctions just days after Trump returned to office in January 2025.
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Trump → announce → January
Court officials have been preparing for months for the prospect of sanctions on the court itself, shifting office computers from Microsoft software to open source equivalents and making new arrangements for banking and health insurance.
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officials → prepare → banking
The court's registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler called earlier this week for the EU to be prepared to use a so-called "blocking mechanism" that lets it shield European countries from the extra-territorial effects of sanctions.
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it → call → sanctions
In his statement, Rubio said the United States had delayed its sanctions hoping that the ICC and the countries party to its founding Rome Statute would address US concerns, but they had failed to do so.
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they → say → concerns
"Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC.
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we → end → ICC
We expect our allies, many of whom are part of the ICC and that rely on American servicemembers for their defense, to rein in the court," Rubio said.
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Rubio → expect → court
"We have structured this action to provide an opportunity for States Parties to negotiate and present a solution to address our concerns.
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Parties → structure → concerns
If these efforts do not bear fruit, we will continue to adjust accordingly," Rubio said.
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Rubio → bear → fruit
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