Three judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have launched a legal challenge against U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration, arguing that sanctions imposed on them amount to an unlawful attempt to pressure and punish members of an international tribunal.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Manhattan, was brought by ICC judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin. The judges contend that the sanctions were crafted to exert pressure outside the judicial process, targeting them personally for decisions made in the course of their duties.
According to the complaint, the measures are intended to intimidate judges and influence the work of the Court by placing their personal and financial interests at risk. The filing argues that such actions threaten the independence of the judiciary and seek to discourage judges from deciding cases solely on the basis of law and evidence.
The sanctions were imposed after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and following earlier investigations involving allegations of war crimes committed by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. Washington viewed those actions as grounds for retaliation, extending sanctions to several members of the Court.
The practical consequences, the judges argue, have been severe. The lawsuit states that the restrictions have disrupted access to banking services, credit cards, online platforms, travel arrangements, and, in some situations, health insurance. The judges describe the sanctions as so sweeping that they effectively isolate individuals from the modern financial system.
At the center of the legal challenge is the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the law used to justify the sanctions. The judges argue that the administration exceeded its authority under the statute and failed to identify a legitimate national emergency or extraordinary threat that would warrant such measures.
The complaint further claims that the sanctions interfere with the functioning of the Court itself. By restricting interactions with the judges, the measures allegedly hinder the submission of evidence and legal arguments in ongoing and future proceedings before them.
Founded in 2002, the ICC prosecutes allegations of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. While the Court exercises jurisdiction across its member states, several countries—including the United States, China, Russia, and Israel—do not recognize its authority.
Tensions between Washington and the Hague-based tribunal are not new. During Trump’s first term, the United States sanctioned former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and a senior aide over the Court’s Afghanistan investigation. The latest lawsuit marks a dramatic escalation in that long-running confrontation, placing the legality of U.S. sanctions policy itself under judicial scrutiny.
