Trump signs executive order paving way for state sponsor of wrongful detention designations

By Daphne Psaledakis and Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order paving the way for Washington to designate countries around the world a state sponsor of wrongful detention and impose punitive measures, including sanctions, on those it deems are wrongfully holding Americans.

Senior administration officials said the United States would target countries currently holding wrongfully detained Americans as well as those that engage in…