Former President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday, accusing the tribunal of overstepping its authority by targeting the United States and Israel.
The executive order enacts financial and travel restrictions on ICC officials and their family members who participate in investigations involving U.S. citizens or American allies. The move comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Washington amid the ICC’s war crimes case against him and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the Gaza conflict.
The order claims the ICC’s actions “further abused its power” by issuing warrants against Israeli officials. The administration has not yet disclosed the names of those affected by the sanctions.
During Trump’s first term, his administration sanctioned then-ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and a senior aide over their investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Alongside the ICC sanctions, Trump signed an executive order aimed at eliminating what he called “anti-Christian bias” within the federal government. The order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead a task force to investigate and prevent religious discrimination across agencies, including the Department of Justice, the IRS, and the FBI.
“The mission of this task force will be to immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination,” Trump said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a U.S. district judge temporarily halted a Trump-backed federal employee buyout program just hours before its application deadline. The “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation plan—spearheaded by Trump ally Elon Musk—offers employees continued salary payments until September 30 if they voluntarily resign.
Judge George O’Toole Jr. of Boston ordered the program’s deadline extended and scheduled a hearing for Monday. He could further delay or permanently block the plan, which labor unions have challenged in court.
Trump officials said more than 40,000 federal workers had accepted the buyout, though NBC News cited a higher figure of 60,000. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt welcomed the extension, saying it would give more workers “a generous, once-in-a-lifetime offer.”
The administration warned that those who refuse the buyout may still face termination. Critics, including labor unions and Democratic lawmakers, argue the plan is unreliable and could leave thousands without guaranteed salaries past March 14, when current spending laws expire.
The court ruling marks another legal hurdle for Trump’s executive actions. A separate federal judge blocked his attempt to revoke birthright citizenship, marking the second such ruling in two days.
