Trump signs order targeting countries that illegally detain Americans
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The United States of America will henceforth investigate and blacklist any country that illegally detains its citizens, President Donald Trump warned on Friday.
At the signing of an executive order in the Oval Office, Trump expressed the resolve of his administration to strengthen efforts to protect U.S. nationals from wrongful detention abroad.
The president noted that the government would use every tool available to curb the “coercive tactic” used by foreign adversaries and hold such adversaries to account.
“No American should fear being taken as a political pawn by rogue states” Trump said, calling wrongful detentions an affront to the rule of law and an aim to undermine the US.
Declaring the United States’ zero tolerance for attacks on America’s sovereignty and nationals, the president directed the Department of State to sanction culpable countries.
The Secretary of State now has the power to blacklist the government of any foreign nation “that directly engages in or provides support for the wrongful detention of an American.”
The new order particularly empowers the Secretary of State to designate such a country as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention based on the specified criteria.
Trump signs order targeting countries that illegally detain Americans
