WASHINGTON — The United States announced new sanctions and visa restrictions against International Criminal Court officials on Wednesday, escalating President Donald Trump's campaign to isolate the tribunal over its investigations of Israel and American personnel.

The State Department confirmed the measures followed an administration review of travel bans, visa revocations and expanded financial penalties against the court and its staff. Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 authorising sanctions on ICC personnel, and prosecutor Karim Khan and several judges have already faced restrictions under that framework.

The court, based in The Hague, issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The tribunal has repeatedly said it will not be intimidated and that sanctions undermine the rule of law and its 125 member states.

European governments criticised the move, with the European Commission reaffirming its support for the court's independence. The Netherlands, which hosts the ICC, said sanctions targeting judicial officials threatened the institution's ability to function and set a damaging precedent for international justice.

Human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, condemned the sanctions as an attack on accountability. An ICC spokesperson said the court would continue its work independently and in accordance with the Rome Statute.