The United States announced sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution on 9 October 2026, drawing strong opposition from eight countries, including the UK, and condemnation from UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The announcement does not, however, establish that the restrictions have legally taken effect.
According to UN News, Marco Rubio announced a ban on transactions with the court, describing the aim of the US measures as limiting its resources and activities. The measures target the institution itself. UN News reports that US sanctions had previously been imposed on 13 ICC judges and prosecutors.
The foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom issued a joint response. In a statement published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, they expressed regret and strong opposition to the US announcement, reaffirming their support for the court’s independence, impartiality and integrity.
All eight countries are parties to the Rome Statute, the treaty on which the ICC is founded. They pledged to continue supporting the court in carrying out its mandate and warned that implementing the sanctions could significantly affect the institution, its staff and their families. That warning is their assessment of possible consequences, rather than an account of effects already documented.
Court and UN condemn the decision
UN News reports that the ICC condemned the US decision as an attack on the rule of law and the international legal order. The court’s president, Tomoko Akane, pledged that it would continue to carry out its mandate independently and impartially. A spokesperson for the UN secretary-general said António Guterres had condemned the new sanctions against the ICC as an institution and reaffirmed his support for its independence.
The distinction between announcing the restrictions and legally implementing them remains important. UN News describes the sanctions as imposed, while the eight countries’ joint statement refers to their announcement and discusses the consequences of implementation in conditional terms. A confirmed date on which the measures take effect therefore cannot be stated.
The countries signing the statement also pledged to continue dialogue with states that are not parties to the Rome Statute ahead of the Assembly of States Parties scheduled for December 2026, while maintaining their support for the court’s work.
