Six Americans being held hostage in Venezuela were released on Friday after Ric Grenell, President Donald Trump’s envoy for special missions, met with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Grenell traveled to Venezuela on Friday to meet with Maduro to convey Trump’s expectation that Venezuela “takes back all of the Venezuelan criminals and gang members that have been exported to the United States and to do so unequivocally and without condition,” Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trump’s special envoy for Latin America, told reporters.
In addition, Grenell was tasked with conveying to the Venezuelan leader that American hostages being held in the country “not only are unacceptable, but that they must be released immediately,” Claver-Carone added.
On Friday evening, Grenell posted a photo of him and the six hostages freed returning back to the U.S.
“We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens,” Grenell said.
“They just spoke to [President Donald Trump] and they couldn’t stop thanking him,” Grenell added.
Once receiving word of the hostages being freed, Trump thanked Grenell and his entire staff for their work to secure the release of the hostages.
Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2025
In the case that the “Maduro regime” did not adhere to Grenell’s demands, Claver-Carone told reporters that there would be “consequences otherwise.”
In a Saturday afternoon post on X, Trump elaborated in the hostages’ return, providing additional details to the state of relations between the two nations.
“It is so good to have the Venezuela Hostages back home and, very important to note, that Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua,” he wrote.
“Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back. We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries, and all Countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back. Furthermore, record numbers of criminals are being removed from our Country, and the Border numbers are the strongest they have been since the First Term of the Trump Administration!”
Grenell was tapped by Trump in 2017 to serve as ambassador to Germany, special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations, and as acting director of national intelligence.
Upon announcing his new role in his second administration, Trump said Grenell is committed to “continuing to fight for Peace through Strength” and will “always put AMERICA FIRST.”
In addition to special missions in Venezuela, Grenell is also expected to carry out missions in North Korea, Trump said.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
