Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized President Donald Trump after the United States sanctioned the International Criminal Court. Sanders linked the action to the ICC’s warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its previous warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. He also cited the court’s warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine. On Oct. 9, the Trump administration imposed sweeping sanctions on the ICC as an institution, restricting transactions with the court and its access to U.S. financial services.
In a post on X, Sanders questioned why Trump sanctioned the court. He said the action followed ICC warrants involving alleged war crimes in Gaza. Sanders then compared those cases with the ICC’s arrest warrant for Putin over the alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of Ukraine.
“No, Mr. President: War criminals are NOT above the law,” Sanders wrote. His statement framed the sanctions around the court’s ability to pursue alleged war crimes.
Bernie Sanders Faces Backlash Over Trump’s ICC Sanctions
The response quickly divided over U.S. sovereignty, the ICC’s authority and Sanders’ criticism of Trump.
One user challenged Sanders with the comparison, “Where were you when Biden condemned them?” However, the comparison needs context.
In May 2024, Biden called the ICC prosecutor’s warrant applications against Israeli leaders “outrageous.” However, his administration later opposed legislation that would have imposed sanctions on the ICC, according to a White House policy statement.
Sanders publicly opposed Biden’s position at the time. In a statement, his Senate office said Sanders believed the ICC prosecutor was “right to take these actions.” He again defended the court during Senate remarks two days later.
Another user rejected the court’s authority outright: “No, Bernie, the ICC is not the law. Never was. Never will be.” A separate response stated, “We have nothing to do with the ICC.”
Another welcomed the break with international institutions, writing, “The US is done with the ICC and other international bodies .Good riddance”
Others pushed back on the sanctions. One user argued, “You can contest the ICC’s jurisdiction without trying to wreck the entire court.” Another wrote, “Just because he sanctions doesn’t suddenly retract the warrants.”
The dispute extends beyond whether Biden previously criticized the ICC. Trump’s sanctions and Sanders’ longstanding support for the court remain central to the current clash.
