​​​​​​​WASHINGTON 

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday creating a new designation for “state sponsors of wrongful detention,” allowing Washington to punish countries that wrongfully detain Americans.

“Today, President Trump signed an Executive Order that takes unprecedented action to impose new consequences on those who wrongfully detain Americans abroad,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

“Through this Executive Order, actors designated as State Sponsors of Wrongful Detention may face severe penalties,” he said. “Like the State Sponsor of Terrorism determination, no nation should want to end up on this list.”

“The bottom line: Anyone who uses an American as a bargaining chip will pay the price,” he added.