Trump Targets Wrongful Detention With New ‘State Sponsor’ Designation For Nations

Last Updated:September 06, 2025, 06:16 IST

Countries at risk of receiving the designation will reportedly be given advanced notice and a limited window of time to change course.

The Trump administration’s move builds on actions taken by former President Joe Biden (Image: AP)

US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a new executive order aimed at penalising countries that engage in the wrongful detention of American citizens. Under the order, nations or entities involved in such practices could be officially designated as “State Sponsors of Wrongful Detention,” triggering a range of punitive actions from the US government.

While the Trump administration did not name any countries immediately under consideration for the designation, nations such as Russia, Iran, China, Venezuela, and Afghanistan have long-standing histories of detaining American citizens under questionable or politically motivated charges.

The move is designed to deter foreign governments and groups from using American citizens as bargaining tools. It gives the US Secretary of State the authority to determine which governments or controlling entities qualify for the designation.

“Through this Executive Order, actors designated as State Sponsors of Wrongful Detention may face severe penalties, including economic sanctions, visa restrictions, foreign assistance restrictions, and travel restrictions for US passport holders,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement Friday.

A senior administration official clarified that the designation is not limited to internationally recognised governments. It could also apply to entities controlling significant territory, such as the Taliban in Afghanistan, where at least one American, Mahmood Habibi, remains in custody. The US does not officially recognise the Taliban government, but the new framework allows action regardless of formal diplomatic recognition.

Countries at risk of receiving the designation will reportedly be given advanced notice and a limited window of time to change course, for example, by releasing detainees or demonstrating improved conduct, before the designation becomes official.

Advocates for hostages and wrongfully detained individuals have welcomed the new measure, calling it a necessary step toward increasing US leverage in negotiations and boosting accountability on the global stage.

The Trump administration’s move builds on actions taken by former President Joe Biden, who in 2022 signed a similar executive order declaring wrongful detention a national emergency. Biden also introduced the “D” risk indicator on State Department travel advisories to warn Americans about countries where they could be targeted.

Currently, Americans are believed to be wrongfully imprisoned or held hostage in Russia, China, Iran, and Afghanistan, with ongoing efforts to secure their release.

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