Trump Hostage Release Record vs. Joe Biden
"Civis Romanus sum"
Being an American means something to President Trump.
When Donald Trump says America First, he means something specific, and he means it. This is especially true for Americans imprisoned abroad. The most high-profile case is the release of the last living Israeli-American still in captivity in Gaza, Edan Alexander.
Only months into his administration, Trump has secured the release of 32 Americans: 23 Americans in Kuwait received pardons, Russia released two Americans, and Venezuela released six.
The easiest case was Kuwait. America has a very good relationship with Kuwait. After liberating their country in 1991, they’ll do anything for us as long as we ask. It is an abdication of responsibility by the Biden Administration that these Americans were in Kuwaiti prisons. Most of them were veterans and military contractors working on U.S. military bases in Kuwait, and they had broken Kuwaiti laws by doing things that are normal in the U.S., like smoking pot. The Kuwaitis released them after Trump administration officials met with them and asked. And they told administration officials that they hadn’t released these Americans before because nobody ever asked them until then.
In other words, there was no headache or much time investment involved. Yet nobody in the Biden Administration bothered to get 23 Americans freed from prison. Even worse, these Americans were working for the U.S. government.
Working with Venezuela and Russia is more difficult because we do not have good relations with them. Yet Trump managed to get the job done with them too.
Trump secured the release of Americans during his first administration as well. Four people were released from prison in Iran, two from Turkish prisons, and two from Venezuelan prisons.
All administrations try to get our citizens released, but not all of them care about it as much as Trump.
In all four years of his administration, Biden got only 17 Americans out. Compare that to 32 in four months by President Trump. And even then, most of those released under Biden/Harris reign were being held in Russian prisons and were freed last year to boost his re-election—including one hostage who wasn’t even an American citizen, but a Washington Post columnist Biden secured to score favorable headlines from the press. A few more were released from prison in Iran after Biden promised Iran billions of dollars.
Trump, on the other hand, has gotten Americans released out of conviction and not by bribing enemy dictatorships like Iran.
America should always look out for its citizens, especially abroad. In ancient times, Romans were guaranteed safety abroad simply by declaring, “civis Romanus sum,” meaning, “I am a Roman citizen.” Fearing the wrath of the Roman Empire, people would not touch its citizens. Trump brings that same mindset to Americans detained by third-world dictatorships. Through diplomacy and threats, he is getting Americans released without making too many concessions.
Again, 32 American hostages and prisoners have been released in only four months under Trump's leadership. Like Roman citizens who were protected abroad by declaring civis Romanus sum, President Trump expects that saying “I am an American” should mean something to the world.
Note: the opinions expressed herein are those of Chuck Warren only and not his co-host Sam Stone or Breaking Battlegrounds’ staff.
