Trump signs executive orders targeting ICC and addressing anti-Christian bias
Annapurna Rai | Feb 07, 2025, 20:11 IST
( Image credit : ANI )
President Donald Trump has signed executive orders targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC) with sanctions and establishing a task force to tackle "anti-Christian bias." The measures aim to defend U.S. interests and support Trump's conservative base, reflecting his ongoing policy priorities.
President Donald Trump has taken decisive action on two key fronts, signing executive orders that impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and establish a task force to address what he describes as "anti-Christian bias."
The first executive order targets the ICC, placing financial and visa sanctions on individuals and their family members who participate in investigations of U.S. citizens or allies. This move comes in direct response to the court’s controversial decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on war crimes charges related to military actions in Gaza. The ICC also sought the arrests of Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was later killed.
The Trump administration, along with many lawmakers in Congress, has condemned the ICC's actions, arguing that they equate the leader of a key U.S. ally with the head of a terrorist organization. While neither the U.S. nor Israel are members of the ICC, the warrants create diplomatic complications by making it difficult for Israeli officials to travel to any of the 124 signatory nations obligated to enforce the court’s rulings. Netanyahu's office dismissed the warrants as "absurd and antisemitic."
This is not the first time Trump has imposed measures against the ICC. During his first term, he authorized sanctions and visa restrictions against ICC personnel following an investigation into alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan by U.S. and Afghan forces, as well as by the Taliban. The latest executive order signals a continued hardline stance against what Trump views as judicial overreach by the international body.
The second executive order, announced earlier in the day, establishes a new federal task force dedicated to combating "anti-Christian bias." Trump unveiled this initiative at an event linked to the National Prayer Breakfast, stating that Attorney General Pam Bondi will lead the effort.
“Today, I’m signing an executive order to make our attorney general—who’s a great person, she’s going to be a great attorney general—the head of a task force brand new to eradicate anti-Christian bias,” Trump declared.
The task force’s specific mandate remains unclear, but its formation reflects Trump’s ongoing effort to solidify support among evangelical and conservative Christian groups. The administration has previously championed policies aimed at protecting religious freedoms, including measures that prioritize religious institutions in federal funding and exempt them from certain regulatory requirements.
The pair of executive orders underscores Trump's broader policy agenda in his second term—confronting international institutions he perceives as hostile to U.S. interests while simultaneously addressing domestic cultural and religious concerns. With Netanyahu’s visit to Washington reinforcing the strong U.S.-Israel alliance and the administration doubling down on issues important to its conservative base, these moves signal a clear direction for the White House in the coming months.
The first executive order targets the ICC, placing financial and visa sanctions on individuals and their family members who participate in investigations of U.S. citizens or allies. This move comes in direct response to the court’s controversial decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on war crimes charges related to military actions in Gaza. The ICC also sought the arrests of Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was later killed.
The Trump administration, along with many lawmakers in Congress, has condemned the ICC's actions, arguing that they equate the leader of a key U.S. ally with the head of a terrorist organization. While neither the U.S. nor Israel are members of the ICC, the warrants create diplomatic complications by making it difficult for Israeli officials to travel to any of the 124 signatory nations obligated to enforce the court’s rulings. Netanyahu's office dismissed the warrants as "absurd and antisemitic."
This is not the first time Trump has imposed measures against the ICC. During his first term, he authorized sanctions and visa restrictions against ICC personnel following an investigation into alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan by U.S. and Afghan forces, as well as by the Taliban. The latest executive order signals a continued hardline stance against what Trump views as judicial overreach by the international body.
The second executive order, announced earlier in the day, establishes a new federal task force dedicated to combating "anti-Christian bias." Trump unveiled this initiative at an event linked to the National Prayer Breakfast, stating that Attorney General Pam Bondi will lead the effort.
“Today, I’m signing an executive order to make our attorney general—who’s a great person, she’s going to be a great attorney general—the head of a task force brand new to eradicate anti-Christian bias,” Trump declared.
The task force’s specific mandate remains unclear, but its formation reflects Trump’s ongoing effort to solidify support among evangelical and conservative Christian groups. The administration has previously championed policies aimed at protecting religious freedoms, including measures that prioritize religious institutions in federal funding and exempt them from certain regulatory requirements.
The pair of executive orders underscores Trump's broader policy agenda in his second term—confronting international institutions he perceives as hostile to U.S. interests while simultaneously addressing domestic cultural and religious concerns. With Netanyahu’s visit to Washington reinforcing the strong U.S.-Israel alliance and the administration doubling down on issues important to its conservative base, these moves signal a clear direction for the White House in the coming months.