What’s behind the US attempt to shut down the ICC?

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The latest measures mark the third round of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration since returning to power in 2025. Previous sanctions targeted ICC prosecutors and judges. The new package is broader, affecting the court as an institution and restricting access to US financial and technological services.

Speaking to DW, Michael Lynk, professor emeritus of law at Western University in Ontario, Canada, described the move as “by far the most comprehensive” set of sanctions against the court. He called it “a big body blow to international law in general and to the court in particular.”