US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court in response to its arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The order, signed in Washington during Netanyahu’s visit, places financial and visa restrictions on individuals assisting ICC investigations into American citizens or allies.
The ICC issued arrest warrants in November against Netanyahu and a Hamas commander over alleged war crimes in Gaza—a move the US and Israel have strongly condemned. Israel denies the allegations.
A White House memo accused the ICC of creating a “shameful moral equivalency” between Israel and Hamas. Trump’s executive order stated that the court’s actions “set a dangerous precedent” that could lead to the “harassment, abuse, and possible arrest” of US citizens.
“This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel,” the order read.
The US is not a member of the ICC and has repeatedly rejected its jurisdiction over American officials or citizens. In his first term, Trump sanctioned ICC officials investigating alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan, though President Joe Biden later lifted those sanctions.
The Netherlands, which hosts the ICC, has expressed regret over Trump’s decision. “The court’s work is essential in the fight against impunity,” Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp stated.
Trump’s executive order comes amid his controversial proposal for the US to “take over” Gaza after the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Netanyahu, Trump suggested turning the Palestinian territory into the “Riviera of the Middle East” while resettling its population elsewhere.
Following backlash from Arab leaders and the UN, Trump reiterated the idea on his Truth Social platform, stating, “The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting.” However, he did not clarify whether displaced Palestinians would be allowed to return.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said any displacement would be “temporary,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested Gazans would leave for an “interim” period during reconstruction.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered military preparations for what he called the “voluntary departure” of Gaza’s residents via land, sea, and air.
During his visit to Washington, Netanyahu met with lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties.
He also presented Trump with a “golden pager” in reference to Israel’s September operation against Hezbollah, in which booby-trapped communication devices were used. Lebanese officials claim the attack resulted in civilian casualties.
