President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order designed to crack down on foreign governments and non-state actors who unlawfully detain American citizens.

The move according to BBC marks one of the administration’s strongest steps yet to combat what officials have described as “hostage diplomacy.”

Under the new order, the U.S. State Department will have the authority to impose sanctions, restrict visas, and cut off foreign assistance to countries deemed complicit in the wrongful detention of Americans.

The measure also establishes a new classification known as the “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” modeled after the long-standing “state sponsor of terrorism” designation.

The White House said the directive is intended to “protect US nationals from wrongful detention abroad by authorizing robust responses against foreign governments engaging in such practices.”

In a statement following the signing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the order as an “unprecedented action to impose new consequences on those who wrongfully detain Americans abroad.”

Rubio noted that the penalties could include sweeping economic sanctions and travel restrictions for both governments and individuals tied to such detentions. “No nation should want to end up on this list,” he warned.

“Anyone who uses an American as a bargaining chip will pay the price,” Rubio added.

While the U.S. does not disclose the exact number of citizens detained worldwide, advocacy group The Foley Foundation estimates that at least 54 Americans were wrongfully detained across 17 countries in 2024 alone.

Its 2024 report revealed that wrongful detentions accounted for an alarming 83% of Americans currently imprisoned abroad.

The order also extends beyond governments, applying to non-state actors “controlling significant territory” even if they are not internationally recognized, according to the White House.

Although the administration has yet to announce which nations could face immediate action, officials highlighted that legitimate law enforcement arrests and judicial processes abroad would not fall under this designation.

The White House emphasized that President Trump has already overseen the release of 72 Americans during his presidency. Among them were Marc Fogel, an American teacher wrongfully imprisoned in Russia, and George Glezmann, who spent more than two years in Taliban custody in Afghanistan.

The Foley Foundation, created in honor of journalist James Foley, who was kidnapped and killed by ISIS, has been a leading voice urging stronger U.S. responses to unlawful detentions.

Its advocacy played a significant role in shaping legislation such as the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, which gave the State Department criteria to determine whether an American has been wrongfully detained.

With this executive order, the Trump administration signals a tougher stance on nations and groups that attempt to use American citizens as leverage in international disputes, reinforcing U.S. foreign policy tools aimed at deterrence and accountability.