President extends terrorism national emergency for another year

The President has extended for one more year the national emergency declared against persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism, keeping the counterterrorism sanctions and measures in force beyond September 23, 2026. The decision, signed at the White House on September 11, 2026, is published in the Federal Register of Wednesday, September 16, 2026 (Vol. 91, No. 178), in the Presidential Documents section, under official reference FR Doc. 2026-19053.

Legal basis and background

The emergency was originally declared on September 23, 2001, by Executive Order 13224, issued pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), in response to the grave acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism committed by foreign terrorists, including the attacks of September 11, 2001, in New York and Pennsylvania and against the Pentagon.

On September 9, 2019, the President signed Executive Order 13886 to strengthen and consolidate sanctions to combat the continuing threat posed by international terrorism and to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13224, as amended.

Why the extension is needed

The notice states that the actions of persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency and the measures adopted to deal with it must continue in effect beyond September 23, 2026.

The extension is made in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), which requires the President to renew the emergency annually to keep the underlying authorities and sanctions operative.

Scope and effect

The continuation applies to the full range of measures adopted under the amended Executive Order 13224, which include:

• Blocking of property and interests in property of designated persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.
• Prohibition of transactions between U.S. persons and those designated under the order.
• Maintenance of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) designations tied to the terrorism program.

The notice was transmitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register, as required by law.

Impact

The one-year renewal ensures that U.S. counterterrorism sanctions remain legally operative without interruption, preserving the Treasury’s authority to designate and block persons and entities linked to international terrorism. For financial institutions and U.S. persons, it means the compliance obligations attached to the terrorism sanctions program continue unchanged through at least September 23, 2027.

Source: Federal Register, Vol. 91, No. 178, September 16, 2026, Presidential Documents (official reference: FR Doc. 2026-19053).