Microsoft suspends email accounts of International Criminal Court officials at Trump's command, accelerating EU countries' move away from US companies
In May 2025, Microsoft suspended the email account of ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan in response to sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump on
Trump's sanctions on ICC prosecutor have halted tribunal's work | AP News
https://apnews.com/article/icc-trump-sanctions-karim-khan-court-a4b4c02751ab84c09718b1b95cbd5db3
Europe's Growing Fear: How Trump Might Use US Tech Dominance Against It
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/technology/us-tech-europe-microsoft-trump-icc.html
Europeans seek 'digital sovereignty' as US tech firms embrace Trump | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/europeans-seek-digital-sovereignty-us-tech-firms-embrace-trump-2025-06-21/
In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Deif, commander in chief of the Al-Qassam military brigades of Hamas, an Islamic fundamentalist organization that controls the Gaza Strip in Palestine. With the issuance of the ICC arrest warrants, Prime Minister Netanyahu and others are officially suspects of war crimes.
How did American politicians react to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu? - GIGAZINE
This decision was condemned by politicians in the United States, which is not a member state of the ICC. President Trump announced in February 2025 that he firmly opposed the ICC's issuance of an arrest warrant, calling it an illegal and unfounded act targeting the United States and its close ally, Israel, and that he would impose sanctions on Chief Prosecutor Khan.
Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court – The White House
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/imposing-sanctions-on-the-international-criminal-court/
In May, it was reported that Khan's Microsoft email account had been suspended and that he had switched to a Proton email account based in Switzerland. Khan's bank accounts in his native Britain have also been frozen, and NGO staff working on evidence collection and witness searches for ICC-related cases are reportedly moving funds out of the U.S. for fear of sanctions from the Trump administration.
The decision by Microsoft, which provides services to government agencies and businesses around the world, to sanction ICC officials at the behest of President Trump, sent shock waves through European policymakers. The New York Times noted, 'It was a wake-up call for something much bigger than just one email account. It raised concerns that the Trump administration could use America's technological superiority to sanction its opponents, including allies like the Netherlands.'
'The ICC has shown that this is possible. It's no longer just a fantasy,' said Barthes Groohuis, a former cybersecurity chief at the Dutch Ministry of Defense and currently a member of the European Parliament. Groohuis, who once supported American tech companies, has now changed his views 180 degrees and argues that European countries must take more measures to protect their sovereignty.
'The ICC issue has added fuel to an already burning fire,' Microsoft President Brad Smith said, adding that the concerns suggest a breakdown in trust between the US and Europe.
The Microsoft-ICC case has raised concerns among European governments, companies and citizens that they may find it difficult to break away from their dependency on American technology companies. 'There's a concern that if the U.S. administration goes after certain organizations, countries or individuals, U.S. companies will have no choice but to comply,' said Casper Klynge, a former Danish diplomat and former Microsoft employee.
American companies have sought to reassure European customers, with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella visiting the Netherlands in June to present solutions for European institutions, including legal protection and data security in 'geopolitically volatile times.' However, many government agencies and companies are looking for alternatives, and the Netherlands is looking for solutions in cooperation with European providers. 'The challenge of digital autonomy and sovereignty has become a top concern for central governments,' Eddie van Malm, Dutch Minister of the Interior and Digitalization, said in a statement.
In Denmark, the Ministry of Digital Affairs is testing alternatives to Microsoft Office, and some German states are also working to reduce their use of Microsoft products. The European Commission has announced plans to invest heavily in building new AI data centers and cloud computing infrastructure that will be less reliant on American companies.
The situation also presents an opportunity for European tech companies to steal customers from their American rivals: Data from digital market research firm Similarweb has shown a surge in interest in Europe-based email, messaging and search services in recent months.
'This situation (of relying on American companies) is not sustainable. European governments are calling for us to become more self-reliant and resilient,' said Proton CEO Andy Yen. Cloud service providers such as the Dutch Intermax Group and Switzerland's Exoscale have also reported a surge in new business. 'Until a few years ago, everyone said American companies were reliable partners. That's changed dramatically,' said Intermax CEO Ruud Baauw.
Others say American tech companies are already so powerful that it would be difficult to fundamentally unbundle them: Everything from push notifications to the content delivery networks that underpin websites to the routing of internet traffic relies on American companies and infrastructure, said Bill Budington of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a US digital rights group.
'The market has become so dominant that we need regulation,' digital rights activist Robin Verlant told Reuters, arguing that government regulation is also needed to reduce the dominance of American companies in Europe.
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