ICC Judges Sue Trump Over Sanctions

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Author: Lin Khona

In Brief

Three International Criminal Court judges — Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin — filed a federal lawsuit in Manhattan against Donald Trump and his administration over sanctions imposed on them last year. The judges say the sanctions were connected to ICC actions involving arrest warrants for Israeli leaders and investigations into alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan, and they argue the measures exceeded Trump’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, were not tied to a genuine national emergency, and were intended to punish and coerce judges for prior decisions. They say the sanctions froze US-based assets, blocked banking services, restricted credit cards and disrupted access to online platforms, travel bookings and health insurance, while also undermining judicial independence. The White House said Trump acted lawfully and would defend the sanctions as part of US national security and foreign policy. The case could affect future US sanctions use against international judicial officials and the country’s relationship with the ICC.

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  • Three International Criminal Court judges filed a lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan against Donald Trump and his administration.
  • The plaintiffs are Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin.
  • The judges are challenging sanctions imposed on them last year by the Trump administration.
  • The sanctions were linked to ICC actions involving arrest warrants for Israeli leaders and investigations into alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan.
  • The lawsuit argues that the sanctions exceeded Trump’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
  • The judges also say the measures were not based on a genuine national emergency or extraordinary threat.
  • The complaint says the sanctions were designed to punish and coerce judges for prior judicial decisions.
  • The judges say the restrictions froze US-based assets, blocked banking services, restricted credit cards and disrupted access to online platforms, travel bookings and health insurance.
  • The lawsuit also argues that the sanctions undermine judicial independence by pressuring judges to weigh personal consequences instead of applying the law.
  • The White House said Trump acted lawfully and pledged to defend the sanctions as part of US national security and foreign policy.
  • Legal experts said courts often give presidents broad discretion on sanctions and foreign policy matters.
  • The case could shape future US use of sanctions against international judicial officials and its relationship with the ICC.
  What Else The ICC, based in The Hague, prosecutes genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, but the United States and Israel do not recognise its authority. Trump’s clash with the court dates back to his first term, when his administration sanctioned then-ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda over the court’s Afghanistan work.    

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