Amal Clooney, the internationally renowned human rights lawyer, could be barred from entering the United States where she resides part-time with her husband, actor George Clooney, and their twin daughters due to her involvement in the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The UK Foreign Office has warned several senior British barristers, including Clooney, that they risk facing sanctions from the Trump administration for their role in the controversial case.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 imposing sanctions on ICC officials, employees, and their immediate family members. The order includes financial penalties and visa restrictions against those involved with the court’s decision to issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant in November 2024.
So far, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan is the only person specifically named in Trump’s executive action. Khan initially pushed the court to issue arrest warrants against the Israeli leaders in May 2024.
If Clooney, who holds British citizenship and is of Lebanese descent, becomes a target of these sanctions, the 47-year-old could be prohibited from entering the country where she maintains a residence with George Clooney, whom she married in September 2014, and their seven-year-old twin daughters.
Clooney played a critical role in the ICC’s decision after she was invited last year to join a panel of international legal experts tasked with evaluating evidence of suspected war crimes in Israel and Gaza.
The panel unanimously determined that the ICC had jurisdiction over crimes committed during Israel’s war against Hamas and recommended that both Hamas and Israeli leaders be held accountable for their actions.
In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, stating there were “reasonable grounds” to believe the two men “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable for their survival,” according to court documents.
The warrants accuse Netanyahu and Gallant of responsibility for “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, as well as crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”
The ICC also sought an arrest warrant for Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, who helped orchestrate the October 7, 2023, attack that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths in Israel and 251 hostages taken. Israeli authorities later confirmed that Deif was killed in a targeted strike in July 2024.
Netanyahu and Gallant now face potential arrest in any of the 124 nations that have ratified the 1998 Rome Statute, including Austria, the United Kingdom, and France.
President Trump has been vocal in his opposition to the ICC’s actions. In his executive order, he declared that the ICC had engaged in “illegitimate and baseless actions” by asserting jurisdiction over personnel of the United States and its ally Israel, neither of which are parties to the ICC’s Rome Statute.
The executive order stated that this conduct “threatens the sovereignty of the United States and undermines its national security and foreign policy work, as well as that of its allies.”
The sanctions have generated significant international criticism. Dozens of countries, including many European allies, have expressed support for the ICC, which they consider a vital component of the international justice system.
The ICC condemned the sanctions and called on its member states to stand against them. A spokesperson for the court stated, “These measures represent a serious attack on the court’s judicial independence.”
The situation creates a particularly complex personal dilemma for Clooney. While she and George primarily reside in properties in Britain and Italy, they also maintain homes in the United States. George Clooney is currently performing on Broadway in New York City, where the couple has temporarily relocated.
The Clooneys have had a contentious relationship with President Trump in the past, with George Clooney publicly criticizing Trump during both his presidential campaigns.
The British Foreign Office has reportedly advised Clooney and other British legal figures involved in the ICC’s decision about the potential impact of the sanctions on their ability to travel to the United States.
If additional sanctions are enforced against individuals beyond ICC Prosecutor Khan, Clooney could be banned from American soil under the executive order’s provisions targeting those involved in what President Trump has called “politically motivated prosecutions.”
The ICC is recognized as a court of last resort to investigate and prosecute individuals suspected of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide when national courts are unwilling or unable to do so. Neither the United States nor Israel recognizes the ICC’s authority or jurisdiction.
Netanyahu and the Israeli government have denounced the ICC’s actions as “antisemitic” and politically motivated. Israeli officials maintain that their military operations in Gaza were conducted in self-defense following the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.The sanctions against the ICC have raised concerns about their potential impact on the court’s operations and its ability to pursue justice for victims of serious international crimes. Human rights organizations have warned that the sanctions could discourage victims from testifying and hamper the ICC’s technical and operational capabilities.
