Although President Donald Trump’s leftist critics continue portraying his administration as a detriment to America’s status on the world stage, such claims tend to fall flat in light of all the foreign policy wins he has already stacked up since returning to the White House.
Perhaps the most notable example has been the stream of Americans being held hostage around the world who have been released and returned home since Trump’s second term began in January.
The latest entry in that list is George Glezmann, who had been held in captivity by Afghanistan captors for about two years before his release was negotiated this week by top Trump administration diplomats.
According to Breitbart:
“Today is a good day. We succeeded in obtaining the release of an American citizen, Georg Glezmann, after two years in detention in Kabul. The Taliban government agreed to free him as a goodwill gesture to @POTUS and the American people. George is on his way home to his family. @realDonaldTrump, has made the freedom and homecoming of Americans held abroad a high priority. It is an honor to assist in this important effort.” Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, wrote.
The Qataris have continued to facilitate communication and represent American diplomatic interests as America’s protecting power in Afghanistan. Diplomatic envoy Adam Boehler has remained in close contact with his Qatari counterparts to negotiate the release of Glezmann.
After weeks of negotiations, the Qataris struck a breakthrough during meetings with the Taliban.
Boehler will bring Glezmann back to the United States via Doha, Qatar along with a team from Qatar’s foreign ministry. The Qataris are providing logistical support for the repatriation, including flights from Kabul, Afghanistan to Doha and then finally to America. The Qataris provided medical professionals to monitor his condition on his return back to the United States.
The news was celebrated extensively on social media:
Joe Biden abandons them, President Trump brings them home!
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) March 20, 2025
🚨We've brought him home.
George Glezmann from Atlanta, Georgia has been RELEASED.
With the help of the Trump Admin, the taliban have released this American Citizen.
How Kamala Harris ever have brought him home? pic.twitter.com/C4km4OnMCn
— The Bard (@BradtheBringer) March 20, 2025
Even a few prominent Democrats, like Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, joined in the celebration:
I'm beyond thrilled that George Glezmann is returning home to Georgia after three years of unjust captivity by the Taliban.
I’ve pushed presidents of both parties to secure George's safe return and I'm thankful he'll be reunited with his family soon. Welcome home, George! pic.twitter.com/eBoymAZgSp
— Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) March 20, 2025
As Fox News reported in February, Trump had already negotiated the release of nearly a dozen American citizens around the world before his first month in office was complete:
President Donald Trump’s administration has secured the release of 11 U.S. hostages held by foreign governments since taking office less than one month ago, according to the White House.
The Trump administration has emphasized arranging the release of U.S. hostages under his second administration and welcomed U.S. Marc Fogel, a U.S. history teacher who had been detained in Russia since 2021, back to the U.S. Tuesday.
Other hostages released since Trump’s inauguration include six Americans detained in Venezuela, two Americans detained in Belarus and Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, who was held hostage by Palestinian militant group Hamas. There are at least two living American citizen hostages believed to be held in Gaza.
Here’s some additional coverage of the latest hostage release:
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