Donald Trump has intensified the use of tariffs and sanctions as key tools of economic pressure. But are these measures achieving their intended goals? From trade disputes to geopolitical rivalries, questions are growing about the effectiveness of America's economic warfare strategy. This report examines the impact of tariffs, sanctions, and the limits of economic coercion in today's interconnected global economy.

Are Trump's economic weapons failing?

US President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order authorising sanctions against individuals involved in an International Criminal Court investigation into whether American forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

A senior Trump administration official, without providing details, said the ICC investigation is "being pushed forward by an organisation of dubious integrity" and accused Russia of having a role.

The order authorises Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in consultation with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to block assets in the United States of ICC employees involved in the probe, the official said.

It also authorizes Pompeo to block entry into the United States of these individuals. 
Trump has repeatedly assailed The Hague-based ICC set up to prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. It has jurisdiction only if a member state is unable or unwilling to prosecute atrocities itself.

Afghanistan is a member of the ICC, though Kabul has argued that any war crimes should be prosecuted locally. The US government has never been a member of the court, established in 2002. The Trump administration imposed travel restrictions and other sanctions against ICC employees a year ago.

The ICC decided to investigate after prosecutors’ preliminary examination in 2017 found reasonable grounds to believe war crimes were committed in Afghanistan and that the ICC has jurisdiction.

The senior administration official, describing the order to a group of reporters on a conference call, said the directive authorizes sanctions against any individual directly engaged in any effort by the ICC to investigate US personnel without American consent. 
The official said the probe threatens to infringe on American sovereignty and that while the ICC was established to provide accountability, "in practice the court is an unaccountable, ineffective and out-of-control international bureaucracy that threatens American service members and intelligence officers and those of our allies.”

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda wants to investigate possible crimes committed between 2003 and 2014, including alleged mass killings of civilians by the Taliban, as well as the alleged torture of prisoners by Afghan authorities and, to a lesser extent, by US forces and the CIA.

"We have reason to believe there is corruption and misconduct at the highest levels of the ICC’s office of prosecutor, calling into question the integrity of this investigation into American personnel. We are concerned that Russia may be manipulating the ICC by encouraging these allegations into US personnel," the US official said.

(with inputs from Reuters)

US President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order authorising sanctions against individuals involved in an International Criminal Court investigation into whether American forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order authorising sanctions against individuals involved in an International Criminal Court investigation into whether American forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan. A senior Trump administration official, without providing details, said the ICC investigation is "being pushed forward by an organisation of dubious integrity" and accused Russia of having a role. The order authorises Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in consultation with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to block assets in the United States of ICC employees involved in the probe, the official said. It also authorizes Pompeo to block entry into the United States of these individuals. Trump has repeatedly assailed The Hague-based ICC set up to prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. It has jurisdiction only if a member state is unable or unwilling to prosecute atrocities itself. Afghanistan is a member of the ICC, though Kabul has argued that any war crimes should be prosecuted locally. The US government has never been a member of the court, established in 2002. The Trump administration imposed travel restrictions and other sanctions against ICC employees a year ago. The ICC decided to investigate after prosecutors’ preliminary examination in 2017 found reasonable grounds to believe war crimes were committed in Afghanistan and that the ICC has jurisdiction. The senior administration official, describing the order to a group of reporters on a conference call, said the directive authorizes sanctions against any individual directly engaged in any effort by the ICC to investigate US personnel without American consent. The official said the probe threatens to infringe on American sovereignty and that while the ICC was established to provide accountability, "in practice the court is an unaccountable, ineffective and out-of-control international bureaucracy that threatens American service members and intelligence officers and those of our allies.” ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda wants to investigate possible crimes committed between 2003 and 2014, including alleged mass killings of civilians by the Taliban, as well as the alleged torture of prisoners by Afghan authorities and, to a lesser extent, by US forces and the CIA. "We have reason to believe there is corruption and misconduct at the highest levels of the ICC’s office of prosecutor, calling into question the integrity of this investigation into American personnel. We are concerned that Russia may be manipulating the ICC by encouraging these allegations into US personnel," the US official said. (with inputs from Reuters)

Trump authorises sanctions over ICC Afghanistan war crimes case

At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, the chief executive of Russia&#39;s second-largest Russian bank, VTB,&nbsp;called for US President-elect Donald&nbsp;Trump to scrap penalties&nbsp;against Russian banks when considering lifting other sanctions against Moscow.

Obama&#39;s administration&nbsp;and other European countries had imposed sanctions against Russian businesses, officials and individuals after Russia&#39;s annexation of Crimea&nbsp;in 2014.

The Russian banker&#39;s&nbsp;request to&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;comes as 17 US&nbsp;Intelligence agencies all agree that Russia interfered with the US election to benefit trump in a multifaceted cyber attack, including the&nbsp;spread of misinformation, fake news, and hacking the Democrats.

Trump has denied claims of his ties with the Kremlin.

In his final news conference at the White House on January 18, Obama advised Trump to keep the issue of economic sanctions on Russia separate from talks to reduce nuclear stockpiles. &quot;Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory and meddle in Ukrainian affairs,&quot; Obama told reporters.

&quot;I think it would probably best serve, not only American interests, but also the interests of preserving international norms if we made sure that we don&#39;t confuse why these sanctions have been imposed with a whole set of other issues,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Obama also said that while it&nbsp;was in the world&#39;s interest for US and Russia to have a &quot;constructive relationship&quot;,&nbsp;Russia&#39;s return to an &quot;adversarial spirit&quot; under President Vladimir Putin made that difficult. Obama&nbsp;said the reason the sanctions were imposed was&nbsp;not because of nuclear weapons&nbsp;but because the independence and sovereignty of a country, Ukraine, had been encroached upon by force by Russia.&nbsp;

In an interview with the Times of London published on Monday Trump&nbsp;said he would bargain with Moscow over ending sanctions on Russia in return for a nuclear arms reduction deal.

Obama had also clarified that the US negotiated the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia in his first term and that both countries &quot;substantially reduced our nuclear stockpiles&quot;, but further progress was stalled because Putin was unwilling to negotiate. &nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The US imposed sanctions against Russian businesses, officials and individuals following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014

At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, the chief executive of Russia's second-largest Russian bank, VTB, called for US President-elect Donald Trump to scrap penalties against Russian banks when considering lifting other sanctions against Moscow. Obama's administration and other European countries had imposed sanctions against Russian businesses, officials and individuals after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. The Russian banker's request to Trump comes as 17 US Intelligence agencies all agree that Russia interfered with the US election to benefit trump in a multifaceted cyber attack, including the spread of misinformation, fake news, and hacking the Democrats. Trump has denied claims of his ties with the Kremlin. In his final news conference at the White House on January 18, Obama advised Trump to keep the issue of economic sanctions on Russia separate from talks to reduce nuclear stockpiles. "Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory and meddle in Ukrainian affairs," Obama told reporters. "I think it would probably best serve, not only American interests, but also the interests of preserving international norms if we made sure that we don't confuse why these sanctions have been imposed with a whole set of other issues," he said. Obama also said that while it was in the world's interest for US and Russia to have a "constructive relationship", Russia's return to an "adversarial spirit" under President Vladimir Putin made that difficult. Obama said the reason the sanctions were imposed was not because of nuclear weapons but because the independence and sovereignty of a country, Ukraine, had been encroached upon by force by Russia. In an interview with the Times of London published on Monday Trump said he would bargain with Moscow over ending sanctions on Russia in return for a nuclear arms reduction deal. Obama had also clarified that the US negotiated the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia in his first term and that both countries "substantially reduced our nuclear stockpiles", but further progress was stalled because Putin was unwilling to negotiate. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

CEO of Russian bank asks Trump to lift sanctions at World Economic Forum

trump-sanctions

Trump Sanctions, News on Trump Sanctions, stories on Trump Sanctions, articles on Trump Sanctions, Trump Sanctions stories at Wion, Trump Sanctions news, Trump Sanctions latest news

trump sanctions

Are Trump's economic weapons failing?

Trump authorises sanctions over ICC Afghanistan war crimes case

CEO of Russian bank asks Trump to lift sanctions at World Economic Forum