US threatens the ICC, hours after a former judge of the institution won the Nobel Peace Prize: A “rogue court”

U.S. President Donald Trump indirectly reacted to the decision by the Nobel Committee to award the Nobel Peace Prize to South African jurist Navi Pillay, reposting a message critical of the laureate on Truth Social. The post claimed that Pillay is hostile to the United States and Israel and praised Trump for the Abraham Accords and international diplomatic efforts.

A few hours after the prize was announced, the U.S. administration imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court, where Pillay served as a judge between 2003 and 2008. Washington accuses the court of prosecuting American citizens and disputes the warrants issued against several Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the sanctions would limit the ICC’s resources and ability to operate. The court’s deputy prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan, condemned the measure and said that ongoing investigations and trials would continue.

The ICC, established in 2002, investigates war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The Court has 125 member states, including the countries of the European Union and most NATO states, but not the United States.

The Nobel Committee justified the award by citing the need to defend international law institutions against political attacks.