Kuwait Releases American Prisoners in Gesture of Goodwill Amid US Efforts to Bring Citizens Home
Kuwait has released a group of American prisoners, including veterans and military contractors who had been jailed for years on drug-related charges. The move is seen as a gesture of goodwill between the two allies, according to a representative for the detainees who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The release follows a recent visit to the region by Adam Boehler, the Trump administration’s top hostage envoy, and coincides with ongoing U.S. government efforts to bring home American citizens detained in foreign countries.
Six of the newly freed prisoners were accompanied on a flight from Kuwait to New York by Jonathan Franks, a private consultant who specializes in cases involving American hostages and detainees. Franks had been in Kuwait to help secure their release.
"My clients and their families are grateful to the Kuwaiti government for this kind humanitarian gesture," Franks said in a statement. He added that his clients maintain their innocence and that additional Americans he represents are expected to be released by Kuwait in the near future.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the names of the released prisoners were not immediately disclosed.
Kuwait, a small, oil-rich nation bordering Iraq and Saudi Arabia and located near Iran, is considered a major non-NATO ally of the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently highlighted the strong relationship between the two countries, stating last month that the U.S. “remains steadfast in its support for Kuwait’s sovereignty and the well-being of its people.”
Close Military Partnership
The U.S. and Kuwait have maintained a close military partnership since the U.S. launched the 1991 Gulf War to expel Iraqi troops after Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. Approximately 13,500 American troops are currently stationed in Kuwait at Camp Arifjan and Ali al-Salem Air Base.
However, Kuwait has also detained numerous American military contractors on drug charges, in some cases for years. Families of the detainees have alleged that their loved ones faced abuse while imprisoned in a country that bans alcohol and enforces strict drug laws. Critics have also accused Kuwaiti police of fabricating charges and evidence against them.
The State Department warns travelers that drug offenses in Kuwait can result in long prison sentences or even the death penalty. While defense cooperation agreements between the U.S. and Kuwait likely ensure that U.S. troops are subject only to American laws, these provisions may not extend to contractors.
Trump Administration’s Efforts
Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, his administration has successfully secured the release of several Americans jailed abroad. Recent examples include the release of American schoolteacher Marc Fogel in a prisoner swap with Russia and the announced release of a U.S. citizen by Belarus.
The Americans released on Wednesday had not been officially designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained. Such a designation is typically applied to a subset of Americans jailed abroad and ensures their cases are handled by the administration’s special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, which oversees negotiations for their release.
Advocates for those detained in foreign countries are hopeful that the Trump administration will adopt a more flexible approach and work to secure the release of individuals who do not meet the criteria for being wrongfully detained.
“The sad reality is that these Americans were left in prison for years due to a misguided policy that had, before President Trump took office, effectively abandoned Americans abroad who hadn’t been designated wrongfully detained,” Franks said in a statement. “These releases demonstrate what is achievable when the U.S. government prioritizes bringing Americans home.”
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