The United States has frozen assets belonging to the International Criminal Court. This marks the first time the US targeted the court itself. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced these sanctions on Friday. He aimed to weaken a body the president sees as dangerous. The administration had already sanctioned seventeen individuals linked to the court. These people included judges and prosecutors who worked for the group. Now the financial pressure hits the court directly. Officials want to stop what they call rogue behavior. Rubio stated that Americans are not subject to this court. He argued that only President Trump had the will to act. This news came after Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize. She served as a judge at the court in the past. The ICC called the sanctions an attack on the rule of law. They claimed the US was blocking justice and international order. The court sits in the Netherlands and has one hundred twenty-five members. ICC President Tomoko Akane said the court would keep working. She was personally sanctioned by the administration back in August. The administration argues the court seeks to try American soldiers. Rubio also mentioned Border Patrol agents as potential targets. There is no proof the court targeted Border Patrol agents. However, fears for US personnel are not just imaginary. In 2017, an ICC prosecutor looked into war crimes in Afghanistan. The probe focused on US military and intelligence staff. Judges first rejected the request but later allowed it to go. The prosecutor later dropped US cases to focus on other groups. Under the new rules, ICC assets in US hands are frozen. American banks and businesses cannot deal with the court. The sanctions will not start right away. The Treasury Department gave a one hundred eighty-day general license. This gives the court time to address US concerns. Rubio warned that allies must stop the rogue court. He said the US will dismantle the ICC piece by piece. Another big issue involves arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. The court issued warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant in 2024. The court accused them of war crimes in Gaza. President Trump called these warrants baseless and an overstep. The ICC says it can try non-member nationals in some cases. The administration insists the court went too far. Financial pressure is now on the institution to change. The US expects other nations to follow or face consequences. The message from Washington is clear and direct. The era of unchecked international prosecution is ending.