Microsoft suspended the email account of International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan in February following a Trump administration executive order, cutting off his communications just months after the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Gaza war crimes allegations.
The tech giant's swift compliance with Trump's sanctions against Khan shocked European policymakers and highlighted America's tech dominance as a potential geopolitical weapon, according to The New York Times. The move froze Khan out of critical communications with ICC colleagues at the Netherlands-based court.
European alarm over digital sovereigntyThe incident has sparked widespread concern across Europe about the continent's heavy reliance on American technology companies for essential digital infrastructure. European officials fear the Trump administration could leverage this dependency to pressure opponents, even in allied nations.
"The ICC showed this can happen," Dutch cybersecurity expert and European Parliament member Bart Groothuis told the Times. "It's not just fantasy."
Microsoft had provided the ICC with email services, Office software, and cybersecurity protection for years. After Trump's executive order targeting Khan for investigating Israeli war crimes, Microsoft consulted with ICC officials and decided to suspend only Khan's email while continuing broader court services.
Push for European tech independenceThe episode has accelerated European efforts to reduce dependence on American tech giants. Some ICC staff have switched to Proton, a Swiss encrypted email provider, while European governments are exploring alternatives to Microsoft services.
American companies control over 70 percent of Europe's cloud computing market, making immediate disentanglement difficult. However, the EU has announced plans to invest billions in homegrown AI data centers and cloud infrastructure.
Microsoft President Brad Smith acknowledged the incident reflected broader erosion of US-Europe trust. The company has since implemented policy changes and CEO Satya Nadella announced new "sovereign solutions" for European institutions during a Netherlands visit.
Khan, who has denied sexual misconduct allegations, remains on leave from the ICC pending investigation.
The tech giant's swift compliance with Trump's sanctions against Khan shocked European policymakers and highlighted America's tech dominance as a potential geopolitical weapon, according to The New York Times. The move froze Khan out of critical communications with ICC colleagues at the Netherlands-based court.
European alarm over digital sovereigntyThe incident has sparked widespread concern across Europe about the continent's heavy reliance on American technology companies for essential digital infrastructure. European officials fear the Trump administration could leverage this dependency to pressure opponents, even in allied nations.
"The ICC showed this can happen," Dutch cybersecurity expert and European Parliament member Bart Groothuis told the Times. "It's not just fantasy."
Microsoft had provided the ICC with email services, Office software, and cybersecurity protection for years. After Trump's executive order targeting Khan for investigating Israeli war crimes, Microsoft consulted with ICC officials and decided to suspend only Khan's email while continuing broader court services.
Push for European tech independenceThe episode has accelerated European efforts to reduce dependence on American tech giants. Some ICC staff have switched to Proton, a Swiss encrypted email provider, while European governments are exploring alternatives to Microsoft services.
American companies control over 70 percent of Europe's cloud computing market, making immediate disentanglement difficult. However, the EU has announced plans to invest billions in homegrown AI data centers and cloud infrastructure.
Microsoft President Brad Smith acknowledged the incident reflected broader erosion of US-Europe trust. The company has since implemented policy changes and CEO Satya Nadella announced new "sovereign solutions" for European institutions during a Netherlands visit.
Khan, who has denied sexual misconduct allegations, remains on leave from the ICC pending investigation.
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