Trump to Sanction an International Court for Probing U.S. War Crimes

After weeks of national upheaval and soul-searching, the Trump administration is finally taking aggressive action to rein in a group of out-of-control law enforcement officials, accusing these officials of using their vast powers in a capricious and discriminatory manner, hiding from accountability, and forcing innocent American citizens to live their lives in fear. Which law enforcement body is finally facing Trump’s wrath? The International Criminal Court, of course.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and Attorney General William Barr announced the latest U.S. salvo against the court on Thursday, authorizing sanctions against ICC employees involved in an ongoing investigation into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan. They did not specify which officials would be sanctioned. Axios reports that the sanctions announcement was coordinated with Israel, which is also facing an ICC investigation into alleged war crimes in the West Bank and Gaza.

Read the full article and more in Slate.