US imposes sanctions on ICC

The administration of US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that it is imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court, escalating its campaign against the organization.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a statement on social media saying, "We will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling their ability to operate against us."

Rubio said the US will continue its campaign to "dismantle" the court until Americans are no longer threatened. He also said he expects allies to help "rein in" the ICC.

The court's president, Akane Tomoko, criticized the move as "historically unprecedented" and added that the ICC "firmly rejects" the sanctions.

Akane said: "Seeking to obstruct a court of law from fulfilling its judicial mandate is unacceptable. It is an attack against sovereign states that have created the court. It is an attack against the international legal order."

The US had already imposed sanctions on the ICC's leadership, including Akane, in August.