President Donald Trump on Thursday moved to further punish officials of the International Criminal Court, authorizing economic sanctions against them as well as the expansion of visa restrictions on the officials and their families.

The president also declared a national emergency with respect to the “threat” he says the ICC poses.

The efforts come amid Trump administration anger over the ICC’s efforts to look into alleged war crimes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan. 

The United States is not a party to the international court and does not recognize its authority.

In a statement, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany alleged that the court is corrupt and said the U.S. suspects the international body is being manipulated by U.S. adversaries.

“The International Criminal Court’s actions are an attack on the rights of the American people and threaten to infringe upon our national sovereignty,” the statement said.

In an accompanying executive order, Trump stated that “any attempt by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any United States personnel without the consent of the United States … constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.”

Wary of potential ICC moves against U.S. troops, the Trump administration last year announced it was imposing visa restrictions on officials affiliated with the body.

ICC judges in March authorized a probe into a range of alleged misdeeds in Afghanistan, including actions by Afghan government forces, U.S. troops and the Taliban. It is believed to be the first time the court’s prosecutor has been permitted to review actions by American forces.

A spokesman for the ICC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(By Politico)