The Trump administration has announced a new round of sanctions targeting senior figures at the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to the BBC.
In language underscoring the depth of its opposition to the court, the administration vowed to dismantle the institution “brick by brick”, the BBC reported.
The announcement marks a further escalation in tensions between the United States and the ICC, which sits at the centre of international efforts to prosecute individuals for the most serious crimes under international law.
The BBC report identified the measures as targeting top ICC figures, though the wider details of the sanctions were framed around the administration’s stated intent to weaken the court over time.
The characterisation of dismantling the court “brick by brick” signals a sustained approach rather than a single, isolated action, according to the language attributed to the administration by the BBC.
Why it matters
Sanctions against ICC officials by a major world power raise questions about the court's ability to carry out its work and about the broader relationship between the United States and international justice institutions. The stated goal of dismantling the court signals a prolonged confrontation with global implications.