Secretary of State Marco Rubio Designates Afghanistan a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention

On March 9, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Afghanistan as a 'State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention' under an authority created in September.

“US designates Afghanistan as a sponsor of wrongful detention The State Department has designated Afghanistan as a sponsor of wrongful detention as the U_S_ ambassador to the United Nations separately called out the country for engaging in what he said was “hostage diplomacy”

ABC News

The designation made Afghanistan the second country to receive that designation.

ABC News

Multiple outlets described the move as an official U.S. designation intended to target the Taliban.

News18 reported: "The U.S. on March 9, 2026 designated Afghanistan as a 'State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,' targeting the Taliban."

CNN wrote that the Trump administration designated Afghanistan as a 'state sponsor of wrongful detention' to deter the Taliban.

CBS News noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Afghanistan as a 'state sponsor of wrongful detention,' allowing the Trump administration to use authorities created in September.

The Washington Examiner reported: "Sen. Marco Rubio announced that he was designating Afghanistan a 'State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention' under a September executive order from President Trump."

Some outlets used different titles for Rubio, with CBS News and other reports calling him 'Secretary of State Marco Rubio' while the Washington Examiner referred to him as 'Sen. Marco Rubio.'

Rubio and U.S. officials framed the designation as a response to what they describe as the Taliban’s use of kidnapping and 'hostage diplomacy' to extract concessions, and they named U.S. citizens they say are unjustly detained.

CNN reported Rubio “called for the immediate release of Dennis Coyle, Mahmoud Habibi (detained in August 2022), and other unjustly held Americans and urged the Taliban to end 'hostage diplomacy.'”

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CBS News likewise said Rubio “demanded the release of Americans he named—Dennis Coyle and Mahmoud Habibi—and others he called unjustly detained, urging an end to 'hostage diplomacy.'”

News18 conveyed Rubio’s demand that the Taliban release “Dennis Coyle, Mahmoud Habibi and all Americans held there.”

The Washington Examiner also said Rubio accused the Taliban of unjustly holding U.S. citizens and named the detainees, though it renders the name as “Mahmood Habibi,” a slight variation in spelling among sources.

The designation enables the U.S. to deploy specific tools against Afghanistan and the Taliban to pressure releases, including sanctions, export controls and possible travel restrictions for U.S. passport holders.

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally designated Afghanistan as a state sponsor of wrongful detention on Monday, paving the way for the Trump administration to impose restrictions such as sanctions and export controls as punishment for the Taliban's arbitrary imprisonment of Americans”

CBS News

Outlets cited the September authorities that Rubio invoked.

CBS News explained the practical effects, saying the designation allows the administration to use authorities created in September to impose measures such as sanctions, export controls and potentially travel restrictions for U.S. passport holders traveling there.

The Washington Examiner linked the move to the September executive order from President Trump.

News18 and CNN noted that Afghanistan became the second country to receive this new designation after Iran.

The coverage underscored the administration’s approach of using that authority against states it says detain Americans unjustly.

Media accounts placed the designation in the broader context of the administration’s hard-line stance and timing.

Outlets noted the announcement coincided with Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day and followed an earlier Iran designation.

CNN

At least one outlet suggested the policy has clashed with U.N. humanitarian appeals.

CNN specifically said the move was "announced on Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day" and is the second designation.

The Washington Examiner framed it as part of "the administration’s hard-line approach — a stance that has clashed with U.N. appeals for humanitarian assistance."

News18 and CBS highlighted the designation’s place in a series of similar actions by the administration to counter what it calls "hostage diplomacy."

Officials repeatedly warned Americans against travel to Afghanistan and emphasized pressure on the Taliban to release detainees.

“'Terrorist Tactics': US Designates Afghanistan As 'State Sponsor Of Wrongful Detention' Rubio said that the Taliban's use of "terrorist tactics to seek policy concessions", will not work under the current US administration”

News18

Outlets quoted Rubio's public warnings and his description of Taliban tactics.

News18

CNN reported Rubio "warned it is not safe for Americans to travel to Afghanistan."

News18 said Rubio "said it is unsafe for Americans to travel to Afghanistan because the Taliban continue to unjustly detain U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals."

The Washington Examiner likewise reported he "warned Americans it is unsafe to travel to Afghanistan."

CBS News noted the designation could enable travel restrictions for U.S. passport holders as one of the measures the administration could use.