US sanctions ICC hours after Nobel Peace Prize to former judge Navi Pillay

The United States imposed sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court on Friday, October 9, 2026, hours after the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to South African jurist Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, a former ICC judge. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the measures in a video statement, declaring that Washington would "ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling their ability to operate against us." Rubio stated that the sanctions were necessary to protect American sovereignty and prevent ICC prosecution of US personnel, saying "either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC."

The sanctions prevent US financial institutions and technology companies from transacting with the ICC and freeze any court assets held in US territory. The measures include a six-month grace period for US companies to wind down existing business with the court, with some exemptions for telecommunications, software, pension payments, and detainee-related services. US officials stated the timing was coincidental and that sanctions preparations had been underway for months. The Trump administration has characterized the court as a "rogue" institution that has exceeded its mandate by investigating non-member states including the United States and Israel.

Pillay, 85, is a South African human rights lawyer who served as an ICC appellate judge from 2003 to 2008 and currently serves as a judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The Nobel Committee awarded her the prize "for her efforts to promote peace and international law," citing international legal institutions under attack. In a video statement from the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Pillay called the US sanctions "unheard of" and "unacceptable," noting the tension surrounding the ICC's continued existence. She made a lighthearted reference to potentially sharing the prize with Trump, alluding to last year's winner's decision to gift her medal to the US president.

The ICC rejected the sanctions as "an assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order," calling on its 125 member states to defend the institution. ICC President Tomoko Akane stated that the court would continue to discharge its mandate independently and impartially. The court has issued arrest warrants for more than 70 individuals, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Hamas leaders, which have been points of contention with Washington.

US allies responded negatively to the sanctions. Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement saying they "regret and strongly disagree" with the US action and reaffirmed their "continued and unwavering support" for the court. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the decision as "a serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice," with his spokesperson emphasizing that accountability for international crimes is central to global peace and security. Human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch criticized the move, with Human Rights Watch noting that the ICC was created to ensure no one, regardless of power, stands above the law.

President Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Pillay's selection for the Nobel Prize, calling the decision "disgraceful and embarrassing" and describing it as "an indelible stain on the country of Norway." Trump has previously indicated he believed he should have received the award and claimed credit for preventing multiple conflicts. The Trump administration's opposition to the ICC dates to his first term, when it sanctioned the court for investigating alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan—an investigation the court has since closed. The administration has also opposed ICC investigations and arrest warrants related to the Gaza conflict.