The Trump administration imposed fresh sanctions on the International Criminal Court on October 9, just hours after one of the court’s former judges won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee named Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, an international jurist, as this year’s laureate.

In announcing the award, the Nobel Committee denounced attacks on “systems of international law”. According to USA Today, the US administration had previously targeted the court over its arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza, and over its investigation of American soldiers for their actions in Afghanistan.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump “will never allow the International Criminal Court to prosecute Americans”. “We will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate,” Rubio added.

Trump has long coveted the prize and openly campaigned for it, arguing that he deserves recognition for resolving conflicts around the world. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The timing raises questions about whether the sanctions retaliate against the Nobel Committee’s choice of Pillay over Trump.