An executive order punishing the International Criminal Court was issued by President Donald Trump, who accused it of "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel."
Individuals and their families who support ICC investigations of US nationals or allies are subject to financial and visa restrictions as a result of the policy.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington, Trump signed the bill.
Last November, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza, which Israel denies. The ICC also issued a warrant for a Hamas commander.
The court's host nation, the Netherlands, stated that it "regrets" Trump's directive.
According to Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, "the court's work is essential in the fight against impunity," his statement on X stated.
The Hague-based ICC was accused in a White House document leaked Thursday of issuing the warrants simultaneously, so establishing a "shameful moral equivalency" between Israel and Hamas.
Trump's executive order said the ICC's recent actions "set a dangerous precedent" that endangered Americans by exposing them to "harassment, abuse and possible arrest".
"This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel," the order said.
The US is not a member of the ICC and has repeatedly rejected any jurisdiction by the body over American officials or citizens.
The White House accused the ICC of placing constraints on Israel's right to self-defence, while ignoring Iran and anti-Israel groups.
In his first term in office, Trump imposed sanctions on ICC officials who were investigating whether US forces had committed war crimes in Afghanistan. Those sanctions were lifted by President Joe Biden's administration.
The US House of Representatives voted to sanction the ICC last month, but the Senate rejected the bill.
The US and Israel are not members of the court, which has more than 120 members, including many European countries.
As a court of last resort, the ICC is only supposed to get involved when national authorities are unable or unwilling to bring charges.
Trump's executive order said that "both nations [the US and Israel] are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war".
During his last weeks in office, President Biden also criticised the ICC's warrant for Netanyahu, calling the move "outrageous" and saying there was no equivalence between Israel and Hamas.
Trump's signing of his latest executive order follows his announcement during a joint press conference with the Israeli prime minister on Tuesday about a plan for the US to "take over" Gaza, resettle its Palestinian population and turn the territory into the "Riviera of the Middle East".
The US president reiterated the notion on his Truth Social social media platform on Thursday after the UN and Arab leaders denounced it.
"The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting," Trump wrote, alluding to the ceasefire-abiding conflict between Israel and Hamas.
He reiterated that no American troops would be sent in and that the plan would entail resettling Palestinians.
Officials were forced to clarify if the two million Palestinians living in the area would be invited to return after his post left it unclear.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday any displacement would be temporary.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Gazans would leave for an "interim" period while reconstruction took place.
Netanyahu has praised Trump's "remarkable" plan to re-make Gaza. On Thursday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to prepare for "voluntary departure" of Gaza's residents.
He said the plan would include departures via land, sea and air.
Trump signed the order as Netanyahu continued his visit to Washington, meeting lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties on Capitol Hill.
The Israeli prime minister also presented a golden pager to Trump.
The present was an allusion to Israel's use of booby-trapped communications devices in its fatal operation against Hezbollah in September of last year.
Lebanese officials said the attacks killed dozens and injured thousands, including some civilians.
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