Trump's New Order: Imposing Sanctions on Countries Holding Americans Illegally

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order paving the way for the U.S. administration to classify countries that illegally detain American citizens as state sponsors of terrorism.

Under this decision, punitive measures will be imposed on countries believed to be holding Americans illegally, in a step aimed at responding to what the White House considers a violation of human rights.

In statements from senior officials in the Trump administration, they confirmed that the United States would take action against countries that unjustly detain Americans, in addition to countries that engage in what is known as "hostage diplomacy," a policy practiced by some governments to detain citizens of other countries for political gains.

Among the countries mentioned by officials in this context are China, Iran, and Afghanistan, where a comprehensive review of these countries has been announced to classify them according to the new decision.

The Trump administration aims through this decision to use diplomatic tools and financial sanctions to pressure governments that practice these policies, including banning financial and commercial transactions with the United States, as well as freezing the assets of these governments in U.S. banks.