• The U.S. imposes sanctions on four ICC judges, citing "illegitimate and baseless actions."
• Judges targeted include Solomy Balungi Bossa, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou, and Beti Hohler.
• The sanctions stem from investigations into U.S. military actions in Afghanistan and allegations of war crimes by Israeli officials.
• Both the U.S. and Israel are not parties to the Rome Statute that established the ICC.
• The ICC condemned the sanctions as a violation of judicial independence.

The Trump administration announced new sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), asserting that these judges were involved in investigations related to alleged war crimes committed by U.S. and Israeli officials. The sanctioned judges are Solomy Balungi Bossa from Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza from Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou from Benin, and Beti Hohler from Slovenia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described their actions as "illegitimate and baseless," specifically citing their roles in authorizing an investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan and arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over their alleged conduct during military operations in Gaza, according to Reuters, CBS News, and New York Times.

These sanctions come as part of a broader pattern of U.S. opposition to the ICC’s legal actions against officials from Israel and the U.S. with Rubio stating, "The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel, and any other U.S. ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC." Each judge's U.S.-based assets will be frozen and transactions with them by American nationals will be prohibited, which could severely impact their financial dealings, according to Los Angeles Times and Al Jazeera.

The ICC has condemned the U.S. sanctions, labeling them as a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution designed to prosecute war crimes and similar offenses. The court claims such measures "only embolden those who believe they can act with impunity," undermining efforts to hold individuals accountable for serious crimes, as stated by the ICC in light of the ongoing investigations into war crimes in conflict zones, according to TRT Global and Middle East Eye.

The sanctions against the judges come following a series of punitive measures by the Trump administration against the ICC, reflecting long-standing tensions between the court and both the U.S. and Israel. Both countries have resisted the ICC’s authority and the jurisdiction it claims over investigations relating to war crimes committed on their territories or by their personnel, citing their non-membership in the Rome Statute, which governs the ICC. The implications of these recent sanctions may further inhibit international judicial processes, with critics labeling them as detrimental to the principle of accountability, according to South China Morning Post and Le Monde.