New Delhi, Aug. 19 -- The United States on Tuesday (August 18) imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, escalating the Trump administration's campaign against the Hague-based court.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two ICC officials were targeted because they had been involved in efforts to investigate or prosecute officials whose governments had not consented to the court's jurisdiction.

"These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction," Rubio said in a statement.

The sanctions were imposed under an executive order signed by P...