Trump Administration Achieves Release of American Detained by Taliban Since 2022 – One America News Network
OAN Staff James Meyers
10:17 AM – Thursday, March 20, 2025
A man from Georgia, who endured over two years of captivity by the Taliban, has been freed following discussions involving the Trump administration and officials from Qatar, as reported by various sources.
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The Taliban had initially taken 65-year-old George Glezmann hostage during his visit to Afghanistan on December 5th, 2022.
His release was achieved through negotiations that involved Trump’s special envoy for hostages, Adam Boehler, along with representatives from the Taliban and Qatar.
Glezmann departed from Kabul airport on Wednesday evening, heading towards Doha, where he is set to be welcomed by U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler and a team from the Qatari Foreign Ministry.
Boehler and former U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad engaged with Qatari officials, including Majed Al Ansari, a foreign ministry spokesman, and Afghanistan’s foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, to finalize the terms of Glezmann’s release on Thursday.
Qatar has maintained diplomatic ties with Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, unlike the U.S.
A diplomatic source confirmed that Glezmann’s release was agreed upon as a “goodwill gesture” by the Taliban, reflecting their trust in Qatar’s mediating role between Washington, D.C., and Kabul.
“George Glezmann is free. After two and a half years of wrongful detention in Afghanistan, he is on his way to reunite with his wife, Aleksandra,” posted Secretary of State Marco Rubio on X. “Welcome home, George!”
President Trump “has prioritized the freedom and return of Americans held abroad,” added Khalilzad on X. “It is an honor to support this critical effort.”
Qatar’s foreign ministry has overseen communications between the Taliban and the U.S. since the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan under former President Biden.
The source noted that Qatar’s primary role is to maintain “humanitarian corridors” for ongoing aid to and from Afghanistan.
Antony Blinken, the former Secretary of State, testified in 2023 that over 175 Americans still remained unaccounted for in Afghanistan, although he did not specify how many of those were wrongfully detained by the Taliban.
Qatar is also spearheading support for Glezmann’s immediate return home and any required medical care as he reunites with his family.
President Trump “has made the freedom and homecoming of Americans held abroad a high priority,” stated Khalilzad on X. “It is an honor to assist in this important effort.”
“We sincerely appreciate the State of Qatar for their unwavering commitment and diplomatic efforts in securing George’s release,” the State Department remarked in a statement.
“Qatar has consistently demonstrated itself to be a reliable partner and trusted mediator, facilitating complex negotiations,” the statement continued.
“George’s release is a positive and constructive step, but it also serves as a reminder that other Americans are still held in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his relentless efforts to secure the release of ALL Americans unjustly detained worldwide.”
In 2023, the State Department officially classified Glezmann as “wrongfully detained,” a designation that encouraged the use of federal resources towards his case, despite continuing hardships in Taliban captivity.
Earlier this year, two other Americans, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, were released by the Taliban following a last-minute agreement orchestrated by the Biden administration prior to leaving office.
Recently, the White House withdrew Boehler’s nomination as hostage affairs envoy due to controversies over comments he made regarding his negotiations with Hamas amid the ongoing conflict with Israel.
“Regarding the situation with Hamas, I believe there’s potential. I think Israel has executed a brilliant strategy in eliminating Hamas, Hezbollah, and other adversaries in the region that allows possibilities that weren’t feasible before,” Boehler expressed in a recent interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“We could see a long-term truce where prisoners are released, Hamas disarms, and agrees to withdraw from political involvement henceforth.”
It remains uncertain if Boehler’s meetings with Afghan officials indicate a shift towards establishing formal “diplomatic ties” with the Taliban, especially as efforts are made to secure the release of another American still held captive.
U.S. citizen Mahmood Habibi has been imprisoned by the Taliban for over two years, although the group denies holding him.
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