See more of our coverage in your search results.
President Trump celebrated Stephen Hubbard’s release from Russia early Wednesday — while blaming his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, for the retired teacher being held so long.
Trump said he personally requested the 74-year-old prisoner’s release during a phone call last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin — who respected him so much he agreed to the release without even asking for a Russian to be released in exchange.
“Stephen Hubbard, taken four years ago by Russia during the Biden Administration, was just released from prison, at the request of President Donald J. Trump, made directly to President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation last week,” President Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
“Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family,” Trump said proudly, saying “it’s great to have you back.”
He called the release “unprecedented” because Putin had not asked for anything in exchange “out of respect for President Trump.”
“There was no ‘swap’ necessary for this release.”
The president also lambasted Biden for not doing more to secure the hostage’s return.
This major return should have taken place long ago through the Biden Administration, which got nowhere in its negotiations with the Kremlin,” he wrote..
“Biden should have done the Hubbard release long ago! What a difference a President makes!” he said in a follow-up Truth Social post.
Hubbard, a US Air Force and National Guard veteran from Big Rapids, Michigan, was living in eastern Ukraine with a Ukrainian partner when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
He was detained by Putin’s forces in April 2022, and convicted of being a mercenary in October 2024, when he was sentenced to six years and 10 months in prison.
