What is the International Criminal Court, and why is Donald Trump going to sanction it? [Video]

U.S. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday to sanction the International Criminal Court for targeting the United States and its allies, such as Israel, according to a White House official.

The order will make it possible to place financial and visa sanctions on individuals and their family members who assist in ICC investigations of U.S. citizens or U.S. allies.

The move is a protest against the court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, issued in November, and comes as the Israeli leader is visiting Washington.

Here are some facts about the ICC:

When was the ICC created and why?

The court was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression when member states are unwilling or unable to do so themselves. It can prosecute crimes committed by nationals of member states or on the territory of member states by other actors. It has 125 member states, including Canada. The court’s budget for 2025 is about 195 …