US President Donald Trump signed two executive orders, one targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC) with sanctions, and another addressing what he termed “anti-Christian bias.”
The first executive order imposes financial and visa restrictions on individuals and their families who assist in ICC investigations involving US citizens or its allies. This move is largely seen as a response to the ICC’s arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. These warrants, issued last year, accused Netanyahu and Gallant of war crimes and crimes against humanity following Israel’s military actions in Gaza after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The ICC also sought the arrest of key Hamas figures, including Yahya Sinwar, who was later killed.
The move to sanction the ICC comes amidst criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the US, who argue that the warrants unfairly equate Israeli leaders with Hamas leaders, a terrorist group. Although neither the US nor Israel are members of the ICC, the warrants affect travel to any of the 124 countries that are legally bound to enforce the court’s rulings. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has dismissed the ICC’s actions as “absurd and antisemitic.”
In Washington, Netanyahu, who visited the White House, was the first foreign leader to meet with Trump this week. During their joint press conference, Trump announced that the US would “take over” the Gaza Strip, signaling support for Netanyahu’s stance. This reflects a potential shift in US foreign policy under a second Trump term.
This is not the first time Trump has acted against the ICC. During his first term, he authorized sanctions and visa restrictions against ICC officials when the court investigated potential war crimes by US and Afghan forces in Afghanistan, as well as crimes by the Taliban.
In addition to the ICC sanctions, Trump signed a second executive order targeting what he described as “anti-Christian bias.” He established a new task force, headed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, to combat discrimination against Christians. Trump made the announcement during an event tied to the National Prayer Breakfast, underscoring his commitment to addressing religious bias.