I am proud to announce that Robert Gilman, an American citizen and former U.S. Navy SEAL, is on his way back home! In a well-known media report, Robert was imprisoned in Russia in 2022, during the Biden administration. After my conversations with President Vladimir Putin, Russia has agreed to release him solely on humanitarian grounds. We appreciate this decision, as well as the fact that Russia did not request anyone in exchange for his release—there was no exchange. Robert will land tonight at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C.; where my representatives, some of whom are accompanying him on the plane, will welcome Robert back to the United States of America! I just spoke with him and he only had one request—when he lands, he wants a great cheeseburger. Handle this with me! In my administration, returning Americans who are detained abroad is a top priority, and we have acted at an unprecedented level in this area, bringing hundreds of people back to their families. We have also freed many non-Americans who were being held captive in different countries around the world. Robert Gilman has been staying close to his incredible mother, Nancy, who is also accompanying him on the plane, and soon he will see all of his loved ones. I thank my outstanding team, including Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for Peace Missions, Adam Boehler, Special Representative for Hostage Response, Sebastien Gorka, Chief Executive for Counterterrorism, Jared Kushner, and many others who made this possible. God bless America!

President Donald J. Trump