Seven Americans were released by foreign powers as President Donald Trump concluded his second week in office.
Venezuela freed the six Americans after Trump’s envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, engaged with Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro Friday, urging the authoritarian leader to take back illegal Venezuelan migrants with criminal records in the U.S., The Associated Press (AP) reported.
“We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him,” Grenell wrote Friday on X with a photo of him and the six Americans.
“Hello. I’m an American diplomat sent by President Trump and I’m here to bring you home.” pic.twitter.com/mMJ7nDu88s
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 1, 2025
We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens.
They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him. pic.twitter.com/sCvCO4HQQv
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 1, 2025
Grenell later posted a photo of himself leading the Americans out of the plane, with the caption, “We are home. God bless these Americans.”
We are home. 🇺🇸
God bless these Americans. pic.twitter.com/L36mNkvEom
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 1, 2025
“Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!” President Trump said Friday. He later added that the Americans had returned home “in great condition.”
Venezuela also agreed to repatriate — using its own airplanes — all Venezuelan illegal immigrants in the U.S. including members of the transnational criminal gang Tren de Aragua, Trump said. Venezuela previously refused to take the illegal migrants back, while frosty U.S.-Venezuela relations also hobbled U.S. plans to send them back to Venezuela, CNN reported. (RELATED: Trump Instantly Makes Foreign Leader Cave After He Refused Deportation Flights)
On Saturday, Hamas released American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel in addition to two Israelis who have been in captivity since the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel.
“Today, Americans celebrate the return of American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel and two Israelis who were held captive by Hamas terrorists since October 7, 2023. President Trump and his Administration have worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Hamas freed Siegel in Gaza City about two hours after freeing Israelis Yarden Bibas and Ofer Calderon in the southern city of Khan Younis, CBS News reported. Siegel is the first American to be released in the new ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, according to the outlet.
Hamas had reportedly taken Siegel’s wife, Aviva, hostage during the terror attack but released her in November 2023.
Hamas has now released 21 hostages since the start of the Jan. 19, 2025 ceasefire and hostage-and-prisoner swap deal, NPR reported. (RELATED: First Israeli Hostages Freed In Chaotic Gaza Scene With More Expected)
The Taliban released two Americans on Jan. 20, 2025 in a swap deal which saw a Taliban figure jailed for life for drug and terrorism offenses released to Afghanistan, ABC News reported.
This article was originally published at dailycaller.com
