US President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order aimed at cracking down on governments accused of wrongfully detaining American citizens abroad. The measure empowers Washington to designate countries as state sponsors of wrongful detention, a move that will allow the US to impose sanctions, travel bans, and export restrictions on nations found guilty of engaging in what officials have described as “hostage diplomacy.”
Senior administration officials revealed that countries like China, Iran, and Afghanistan are already being reviewed for potential designation under the new framework. These nations have either held Americans under questionable legal grounds or used detentions as a bargaining tactic in international disputes. Officials emphasized that the move was designed to send a clear warning: any government attempting to use Americans as leverage will face severe consequences.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored the administration’s stance, stating that no nation should believe it can treat US citizens as pawns without repercussions. He added that the new system of penalties would mirror measures used against Foreign Terrorist Organizations, including economic sanctions, export controls, and strict entry bans on individuals associated with wrongful detentions.
Another senior official, speaking anonymously, stressed that the order represented a turning point in US foreign policy. “Today, everything changes about rogue regimes and regimes that think Americans can be treated as pawns,” the official declared. The approach is intended not only to punish violators but also to create strong deterrence, ensuring governments think twice before arresting or restricting the movement of US nationals.
Since taking office, Trump has prioritized the safe return of Americans detained overseas. According to administration figures, 72 Americans have been brought home this year alone, including from Russia and Afghanistan. Notable cases include the release of Marc Fogel, a former US embassy employee detained in Moscow, and Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American ballerina.
The executive order also outlines a structured process: once a wrongful detention is identified, Washington will formally notify the offending nation and give it a window of time to take corrective action before sanctions are enforced. Conversely, sanctions could be lifted if genuine progress is made toward releasing detainees. Officials suggested this could have immediate effects in cases involving Iran and Russia, both of which currently hold multiple Americans.
The issue has already added friction to US relations with other nations. In China, for example, the use of exit bans has raised concerns, with reports that Beijing has blocked both Chinese nationals and foreign citizens—including a US Patent and Trademark Office employee in July—from leaving the country. In Venezuela, similar concerns have surfaced, with Americans facing detention amid broader political tensions.
The move has been welcomed by advocacy groups. Global Reach, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting wrongfully detained Americans, praised the order, saying it gives Washington “real teeth” in dealing with governments that engage in hostage diplomacy. The organization expressed optimism that the measure would both strengthen US leverage in ongoing cases and deter future incidents of politically motivated detentions.
