Nations designated state sponsors of unlawful detention will face a litany of consequences, including sanctions and economic restrictions.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Sept. 5 targeting the unlawful detention of American citizens around the world and to facilitate the release of hostages.
“No American should fear being taken as a political pawn by rogue states. Wrongful detentions are an affront to the rule of law and aim to undermine our leadership on the world stage,” the order reads. “The United States will not tolerate these attacks on our sovereignty and U.S. nationals.”
Dozens of U.S. citizens are still held captive in nations around the globe, including in China, Iran, and Venezuela, among others, according to the most recent report from the James Foley Foundation, a nonprofit focused on securing the release of all Americans arbitrarily detained in a foreign nation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is directed by the new order to designate foreign nations as state sponsors of unlawful detention if their actions result in wrongful detainment of American citizens.
Consequences for nations designated state sponsors include sanctions, travel restrictions, and export limitations, among other things.
The order is the equivalent of “drawing a line in the sand that U.S. citizens will not be used as bargaining chips,” Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president, said during the event.
He said Trump’s administration is meeting with families of hostages on a regular basis to assure them that the government is prioritizing the return of their loved ones.
By releasing all hostages and demonstrating a change of policy related to unlawful detention, countries can have the designation removed, according to the order.
The law “provides a new legal mechanism” that gives the administration “powerful tools to get American hostages out,” Will Scharf, White House staff secretary, said during the signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
Special envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler held a chart illustrating the number of hostages returned since Trump retook office in January.
Trump helped bring back 72 hostages in seven months compared to 20 that were taken during President Joe Biden’s administration, Moller said.
