The president of the International Criminal Court told reporters on Wednesday she is facing “unreasonable inconvenience and threat” after U.S. sanctions froze her assets as part of the Trump administration’s continued effort to target the intergovernmental organization.
President Donald Trump ramped up his opposition to the ICC in February 2025 by announcing sanctions on the court for engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.” Despite the complicated and recently sour relationship between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the president has remained committed to his moves challenging the court’s authority.
ICC President Tomoko Akane, a Japanese prosecutor who assumed the office in 2024, last week joined a growing list of ICC members that have been hit with penalties, which include blocking their funds and preventing them from entering the U.S. The Japanese national appealed to her home country to engage with the U.S. and “defend ICC and the rule of law in the global society” at a news conference she joined virtually.