The Trump administration has sanctioned two top International Criminal Court officials, escalating its campaign to dismantle a body that has investigated alleged U.S.war crimes in Afghanistan and issued arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials over the war in Gaza.In announcing the sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and the ICC's senior trial lawyer, Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the court "corrupt and fatally politicized.""These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction," Rubio said in a statement, adding that the ICC "has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate."The sanctions against Akane and Seye freeze assets they hold in U.S.
jurisdictions and largely cut them off from transactions with Americans or the U.S.financial system.Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable on the American mining industry at the State Department on August 7, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
(Eric Lee/Getty Images)SEN MIKE LEE: TRUMP PROVES AMERICA CAN STAND UP TO A POWER-MAD FOREIGN COURT"Our whole of government campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the ICC to national sovereignty will be sweeping and we expect more countries to join our campaign by ending their funding and participation in this politicized and unaccountable court," Rubio said."The ICC’s ability to target American nationals and those of other non-States Parties must end."An executive order signed by President Donald Trump in February 2025 created the sanctions framework.The Trump administration argues that the ICC lacks the power to investigate soldiers, military commanders and political leaders from countries that are not parties to the court, including the U.S.
and Israel.International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane speaks to press after meeting with members of...