Rubio Sanctions ICC President and Senior Lawyer Over Politicized Prosecutions

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on Tuesday against International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, citing their direct involvement in the court’s efforts to investigate and prosecute officials from governments that have not consented to its jurisdiction.

In a statement, Rubio described the Hague-based tribunal as “a corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court that has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate.” He stated that the United States “will not tolerate its assault on state sovereignty.” The measures target Akane, a Japanese judge who has served as ICC president since 2024, and Seye, a Senegalese national who has worked as a senior trial lawyer, including on the prosecution team that sought an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The sanctions were imposed under a Trump administration executive order authorizing action against the ICC. They freeze any U.S. assets held by the two officials, restrict their access to the American financial system, and limit transactions with U.S. persons and companies. The Treasury Department issued a general license allowing a wind-down of existing transactions through mid-September. Rubio emphasized that the administration stands ready to take further steps “to systematically dismantle the ICC until it is incapable of threatening American sovereignty.”

The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the court and has long rejected claims that the ICC can exercise jurisdiction over nationals of non-member states. Previous administrations and the current one have viewed such actions as an illegitimate encroachment on national sovereignty, particularly when directed at U.S. personnel or close allies such as Israel. The Trump administration has already sanctioned multiple ICC judges, the chief prosecutor, and other officials involved in probes related to U.S. activities in Afghanistan and Israeli operations in Gaza.

The ICC responded by condemning the sanctions as a threat to the independence of judicial actors and the rule of law. The court stated that it remains undeterred in fulfilling its mandate and stands behind its personnel and victims of atrocities. European governments, including the Netherlands, which hosts the court, expressed disapproval of the latest measures while reaffirming support for the institution.

Rubio’s action continues a broader campaign that includes diplomatic pressure on other nations to withdraw funding and membership from the ICC. By targeting the court’s president and a senior prosecutor linked to high-profile cases against non-consenting states, the administration is signaling that efforts to assert jurisdiction over American or Israeli officials will carry concrete consequences. The sanctions take effect immediately, subject to the limited wind-down period.