
On Friday, six American citizens were released from detention in Venezuela, expressing deep gratitude toward President Donald Trump for securing their release. According to a senior administration official involved in the effort, the freed detainees continuously thanked the former president for his role in their return home.
The release followed a visit by Richard Grenell, Trump’s former acting Director of National Intelligence, who served as a special envoy for the mission. Grenell met with Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, to discuss two major issues: securing the release of the American detainees and pushing for the deportation of dangerous Venezuelan criminals, including members of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang, who have been living in the U.S.
Grenell shared his success on social media, posting a photo of the six freed Americans on a plane. In the picture, the men were smiling and visibly relieved, with some giving thumbs-up and others flashing peace signs. According to Grenell, the detainees expressed their gratitude to President Trump after speaking with him directly.
Trump also celebrated the release of the Americans, thanking Grenell and his team for their hard work and highlighting the successful outcome of the mission. The freed Americans, whose identities have not been revealed, are part of a larger group of Americans still held in Venezuela, including a Navy SEAL and others who were arrested under questionable circumstances.
This release comes shortly after the Trump administration took action against Venezuelan migrants in the U.S., revoking temporary protected status for over 600,000 individuals. It underscores President Trump’s strong stance on protecting American citizens abroad and ensuring that hostile regimes like Venezuela are held accountable for unjustly detaining Americans.