President Donald Trump’s administration, though unnamed senior officials, warned the International Criminal Court this week it may impose new sanctions unless the tribunal pledges not to pursue prosecutions of U.S. leaders, Reuters reports.
The U.S.is demanding that the ICC amend the Rome Statute or otherwise ensure it will not investigate “the president, the vice president, the secretary of war and others,” an administration official told Reuters. They added, “There is growing concern … that in 2029 the ICC will turn its attention to the president, to the vice president, to the secretary of war and others, and pursue prosecutions against them.” The official continued bluntly, “That is unacceptable, and we will not allow it to happen.” Reuters reports the comments were made on condition of anonymity.
#BREAKING – EXCLUSIVE: U.S. threatens sanctions against the International Criminal Court unless court pledges not to prosecute Donald Trump, according to @Reuters. pic.twitter.com/tQHsXaKajz
— Hunter Cullen (@IndictmentTime) December 10, 2025
The move follows months of tension between Washington and The Hague-based court over investigations tied to the wars in Gaza and Afghanistan. ICC judges last month issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Their prosecutors also have an open inquiry into alleged crimes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute that created the ICC and has previously imposed sanctions on individual ICC officials.
The U.S. official told Reuters the administration has three demands. The first is that the ICC drop its investigations into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. They want the tribunal to end probes of Israeli leaders over the Gaza war is their second demand. And finally, they want the ICC to amend the court’s founding documents to rule out future prosecutions of senior U.S. officials. Reuters reports the Trump administration already sanctioned nine ICC staffers earlier this year but had not yet targeted the court itself. This is a step Washington said could now be on the table.
The Trump regime is urging the ICC to alter regulations so that Trump and his MAGA goons cannot face prosecution for war crimes. pic.twitter.com/dwSFRBK0uq
— 💛September💜Rayne🖤 (@EndFascism90069) December 10, 2025
The ICC pushed back. “Amendments to the Rome Statute are within the prerogative of states parties,” the court’s public affairs unit said in response to Reuters’ questions. However, they would not comment on whether Washington had formally sought immunity from prosecution for any U.S. official.
The threat drew immediate reaction from legal experts and international observers. Analysts warned sanctioning the court could cripple its functioning — from payments and staff access to basic software, and would represent a major escalation in the U.S. campaign against the tribunal. The National News reports the move would likely pit the U.S. against many of its allies who support the ICC’s role as a court of last resort.
ICC has a warrant out for Netanyahu. Time for them to put a warrant out for Putin AND trump
— CatherineL3045 (@CatherineL3045) December 10, 2025
Domestically, the push aligns with long-standing bipartisan skepticism of the tribunal in Washington. Both Democrats and Republicans have historically criticized the ICC as infringing on U.S. sovereignty. The U.S. official told Reuters the administration had already communicated its demands to ICC member states, some of which are U.S. allies.
So far, the White House gave no immediate public comment on the latest warning. Any formal attempt to change the Rome Statute would require approval by two-thirds of states that have ratified it which can be a difficult and slow process. However, the threat to impose ICC sanctions could mark a sharp turn in U.S.-ICC relations.
