U.S. sanctions ICC chief Tomoko Akane of Japan

The United States has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane and another senior official, accusing the court of being "politicized" and exceeding its mandate. This move is largely in response to ICC investigations targeting U.S. allies like Israel (e.g., an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) and Russia (e.g., an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin). The U.S., which signed but never ratified the Rome Statute establishing the ICC, views the court's actions as an "assault on state sovereignty." The ICC and countries like the Netherlands have condemned the sanctions, asserting they undermine the rule of law and the international legal order. Chad and Venezuela have also announced their intent to withdraw from the ICC.