ICC judges sue Trump and US administration over sanctions

Three judges from the International Criminal Court have filed a federal lawsuit against former U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration, seeking to overturn sanctions imposed on them last year. The judges argue the measures are an unlawful attempt to punish and coerce the international tribunal.

The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin. They contend the sanctions, imposed under an executive order, were retaliation for ICC judicial decisions involving U.S. personnel in Afghanistan and Israeli officials. The Trump administration imposed the sanctions after the court pursued an investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan and, later, issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.

In their 66-page complaint, the judges describe the sanctions as a "financial death penalty" designed to exert "extrajudicial pressure." They allege the objective is to punish them for prior rulings and coerce them and their colleagues into...