US sanctions on ICC make chief prosecutor Karim Khan first target

Sanctions imposed by US president Donald Trump against the International Criminal Court (ICC) have made its chief prosecutor Karim Khan their first target, in a concerted campaign to constrict the court over its investigations of Israeli officials for war crimes in Gaza.

On Thursday this week, Trump signed an executive order directing US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to submit a report within 60 days naming people who should be included in sanctions on the ICC, which he accused of “illegitimate and baseless actions” and of having “abused its power” by allegedly targeting the US and Israel.

According to Reuters news agency, which cited an unnamed senior ICC official and another unnamed source who were briefed by US government officials on the matter, an extension of that order named the ICC’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan as being the first target on that list of sanctioned figures.

READ: ICC condemns Trump’s sanctions against its staff

The sanctions include the freezing of any US assets belonging to Khan or others designated, as well as barring them and their families from visiting the US.

Trump’s order coincided with a visit to Washington by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who – along with former Israeli defense minister Yoav Galant – have had arrest warrants issued against them by the ICC.

In a visit to US Congress on Friday, Netanyahu praised the move and accused the court of being a “scandalous” organisation “that threatens the right of all democracies to defend themselves”.

The ICC has since condemned the US sanctions, vowing to stand by its staff and “continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all situations before it”.

READ: Countries vow ‘unwavering’ support for ICC, as Trump hits it with sanctions