Washington DC - President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday slapping sanctions on the International Criminal Court for "baseless" investigations targeting America and its close ally Israel, the White House said.

Trump's order said the court in The Hague had "abused its power" by issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who held talks with the US president on Tuesday.

The order also claimed the tribunal had engaged in "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel," referring to ICC probes into alleged war crimes by US service members in Afghanistan and Israeli troops in Gaza.

The US president ordered asset freezes and travel bans against ICC officials, employees, and their family members, along with anyone deemed to have helped the court's investigations.

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The sanctions are a show of support after Netanyahu's visit to the White House, during which Trump unveiled a plan for the US to "take over" Gaza and move Palestinians to other Middle Eastern countries – a proposal that has been globally condemned as a violation of international law.

Neither the US nor Israel are members of the court. There was no immediate reaction from the ICC.

The ICC issued arrest warrants on November 21 for Netanyahu, his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas' military chief Mohammed Deif – whom Israel says is dead.

The warrants, approved after an application by ICC prosecutor Karim Khan in May, are for "crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least October 8, 2023, until at least May 20, 2024."

Netanyahu's visit to the White House sparked a wave of protests and further calls for the prime minister to be arrested for Israel's ongoing atrocities in Palestine.