Amal Clooney, along with several other top British lawyers, has reportedly received a warning about possible sanctions from Donald Trump‘s administration that may affect her ability to enter the United States. 

The potential sanctions are a result of the lawyers’ legal advice to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the war crime charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in November 2024. 

George and Amal were previously banned from entering Russia for their comments about the Ukraine War.

In February, Trump issued Executive Order 14203, “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court”. The order named British lawyer and ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, who became the first lawyer to face U.S. sanctions for advising on the case.

Trump’s 14203 order asserted the court “abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants” against Netanyahu and Gallant, given that Israel and the United States are not party to the Rome Statute.

The international treaty that established the ICC, the Rome Statute, was signed by both Israel and the U.S. in 2000, but they later refused to ratify it. Palestine ratified the treaty in 2015, making any crimes committed in the Palestinian Territories subject to ICC jurisdiction.

Last week, the U.K. Foreign Office cautioned the lawyers about the extent of Trump’s potential penalties. More sanctions of the sort being issued would prevent other U.K. lawyers from returning to the U.S. – such as Clooney, who has British citizenship.

With no way to appeal an executive order, the formally sanctioned lawyers will have to file a federal lawsuit to fight back. Possible bases include “infringement of professional freedom,” “violation of the right to due process,” or “abuse of executive authority.”

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Article by Baila Eve Zisman

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