Washington has already targeted several ICC prosecutors and judges with sanctions, but adding the court itself to the list would mark a significant escalation.
Six sources familiar with the matter, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the issue, said a decision on such “entity-wide sanctions” is expected soon.
Court officials have already held emergency meetings to assess the potential impact of blanket sanctions. Diplomats from ICC member states have also convened discussions on the matter.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that entity-wide sanctions are being considered but did not provide details on timing.
A State Department spokesperson criticized the ICC for asserting what it called its “purported jurisdiction” over U.S. and Israeli personnel, adding that Washington plans to take further action, though specifics were not provided.
“It (the ICC) still has the opportunity to change course by making critical and appropriate structural adjustments,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. will take additional steps to protect our brave service members and others as long as the ICC continues to present a threat to our national interests,” the spokesperson said.
SALARIES PAID IN ADVANCE
Sanctions applied to the court as an entity could affect its basic day-to-day operations, from its ability to pay its staff, to its access to bank accounts and routine office software on its computers.
To mitigate the potential damage, ICC staff received salaries this month in advance for the rest of 2025, three sources said, though this is not the first time the court has paid wages in advance as a precaution in case of sanctions.
The court is also seeking alternative suppliers for banking services and software, three sources said.
The ICC, based in The Hague, has indicted Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as figures from the Hamas, for alleged crimes committed during the Gaza war.
Washington has previously targeted court officials with sanctions for their roles in those cases and in a separate investigation into suspected crimes in Afghanistan, which initially had looked at actions by U.S. troops.
ICC STATES PUSH BACK AT UN
Three diplomatic sources said some of the ICC’s 125 member countries would try to push back against additional U.S. sanctions during a U.N. General Assembly in New York this week.
But all indications are that Washington will scale up its attack on the ICC, four diplomatic sources in The Hague and New York said.