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President Donald Trump’s administration has secured the discharge of 11 U.S. hostages held by international governments since taking workplace lower than one month in the past, in accordance with the White Home.
The Trump administration has emphasised arranging the discharge of U.S. hostages underneath his second administration and welcomed U.S. Marc Fogel, a U.S. historical past trainer who had been detained in Russia since 2021, again to the U.S. Tuesday.
Different hostages launched since Trump’s inauguration embrace six People detained in Venezuela, two People detained in Belarus and Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, who was held hostage by Palestinian militant group Hamas. There are not less than two dwelling American citizen hostages believed to be held in Gaza.
By comparability, former President Joe Biden mentioned in 2024 his White Home secured the discharge of greater than 70 hostages throughout his 4 years in workplace, in accordance with an August 2024 assertion. Fox Information Digital did not discover any accessible knowledge to match numbers from Biden’s first month in workplace.
Trump claimed to have helped launch 58 in his first time period as president.
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Launched American schoolteacher Marc Fogel reacts throughout a Feb. 11, 2025, occasion held by President Donald Trump to welcome again Fogel, who had been held in Russia since 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
There have been 46 American nationals identified to be held captive in 16 completely different nations in 2024, in accordance with the nonprofit Foley Basis, which advocates for U.S. hostages and was named after James Foley, a U.S. journalist kidnapped whereas reporting in Syria in 2012 and killed by ISIS in 2014. That quantity is now doubtless nearer to the low 30s after the current releases of hostages in January and February.
On Tuesday, Trump met with Fogel, who was arrested in August 2021 at a Russian airport for possessing medication and was slated to serve a 14-year sentence. Fogel’s household mentioned the medication he had on him have been medically prescribed marijuana.
“I need you to know that I’m not a hero on this in any respect,” Fogel mentioned Tuesday after assembly Trump. “And President Trump is a hero.
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“These males that got here from the diplomatic service are heroes,” Fogel mentioned. “The senators and representatives that handed laws in my honor — they received me residence — they’re heroes.”
Following Foley’s return and after asserting the discharge of one other, unnamed hostage held in Belarus Wednesday, Particular Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler mentioned Trump “has made bringing People residence a prime precedence, and folks reply to that.”
The names of a lot of the hostages launched in February haven’t been publicly shared.
The White Home didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from Fox Information Digital about which hostages the U.S. was planning to launch subsequent.
American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel has launched a video message heaping reward on President Donald Trump after he was free of captivity by the terrorist group Hamas two weeks in the past. (Omar el Qattaa/AFP through Getty Photos; Joe Raedle/Getty Photos )
Simply earlier than Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20, each the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration coordinated to safe a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which included provisions to launch dozens of hostages on either side.
Biden and Trump individually boasted about their particular person efforts to safe the deal, and State Division spokesman Matthew Miller described the Trump administration’s involvement as “crucial” to getting the deal over the end line.
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Trump additionally touted his administration’s involvement in a social media put up Jan. 15, claiming it occurred “on account of our Historic Victory in November, because it signaled to your complete World that my Administration would search Peace and negotiate offers to make sure the protection of all People, and our Allies.”
Though Biden mentioned the 2 groups had been “talking as one staff” throughout the negotiations, he additionally mocked recommendations that Trump was answerable for securing the ceasefire deal.
Former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump each took credit score for his or her position in securing the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. (Getty Photos)
“Who within the historical past books will get credit score for this, Mr. President, you or Trump?” Fox Information’ Jacqui Heinrich requested Biden Jan. 15 after a White Home information convention.
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“Is {that a} joke?” Biden mentioned.
When Heinrich mentioned it was not, Biden replied, “Oh. Thanks.”
The Related Press and Fox Information’ Emma Colton and Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox Information Digital protecting the White Home.
