❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is preparing an executive order to designate state sponsors of wrongful detention, aiming to punish nations that detain Americans illegally or use them as leverage.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Americans detained abroad, and Sarah Levinson, daughter of Robert Levinson.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The order is expected as early as Friday. It follows years of wrongful detentions across nations such as Iran, Russia, and Venezuela.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We have watched in horror as the practice of taking American citizens hostage as political leverage has not only escalated but run rampant by the acts of many rogue nations.” — Sarah Levinson
🎯IMPACT: The order aims to curb wrongful detentions, deter travel to high-risk nations, and signal strong penalties for countries engaging in such practices.
President Donald J. Trump is set to enact an Executive Order, as soon as Friday, creating a new designation for countries that wrongfully detain Americans. The measure would allow the U.S. to penalize countries that detain U.S. nationals or use them as leverage.
The new designation is expected to be similar to the current state sponsors of terrorism designation used by the U.S. Department of State. The Executive Order will allow the imposition of penalties and potentially restrict travel to nations involved in wrongful detentions. Notably, a Foley Foundation study reveals that at least 54 Americans were wrongfully detained in 17 countries under former President Joe Biden in 2024.
Currently, the State Department publishes a “Do Not Travel” list—numbering 21 nations—including Iran, Russia, and North Korea. These countries all have a history of wrongfully detaining Americans. During President Trump’s first term, the America First leader signed into law the Robert Levinson Act, which allows the State Department to assess wrongful detentions based on judicial fairness, credible evidence, or political motives.
Robert Levinson, a retired Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, was held in Iran from 2007 until his reported death in 2020. His daughter, Sarah Levinson, thanked President Trump and others for their efforts, stating, “Our father, Robert Levinson, was wrongfully detained by the Iranian government and ultimately died in Iranian custody after years in captivity. This must never happen again.”
The push for the executive order follows recent high-profile cases, including the detention of journalist Evan Gershkovich and Marine veteran Paul Whelan by Russia, as well as other U.S. citizens in Venezuela and Iran.
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