On June 11, 2020, President Trump signed Executive Order 13928, authorizing the Treasury Department to impose financial sanctions against International Criminal Court officials and their family members. The order granted sweeping authority to block property and freeze assets of ICC personnel investigating or prosecuting American citizens or allies, effectively weaponizing the nation's financial system against an international judicial institution. The mechanism was direct: designate ICC officials as sanctioned individuals, freeze any U.S.-based assets they held, and prohibit American financial institutions from conducting transactions with them or their relatives.

The executive order's reach extended beyond the designated ICC officials themselves. Family members of targeted personnel faced asset freezes and financial isolation, a practice that extended consequences to individuals not directly employed by the court. American banks, investment firms, and financial services companies were required to identify and block transactions involving these individuals, creating a de facto sanctions regime that treated ICC employees as threats to national security despite their role in an international legal body.

This action exemplified a broader Trump administration pattern of circumventing multilateral institutions and traditional legal frameworks when they conflicted with administration priorities. Similar to the visa restrictions imposed on Sinaloa Cartel associates and the expedited arms sales that bypassed congressional oversight, Executive Order 13928 concentrated executive power at the expense of institutional checks. The order reflected an escalating confrontation with international accountability mechanisms, mirroring the administration's approach to Iran sanctions and trade restrictions that unilaterally imposed consequences without multilateral consensus.

The executive order faced immediate international criticism and legal questions about its constitutionality. The Biden administration reversed the order in 2021, recognizing both the diplomatic damage it caused and the problematic precedent of the executive branch unilaterally sanctioning personnel from established international courts. The reversal restored the possibility of American cooperation with the ICC and removed the financial restrictions on targeted officials and their families.