Trump administration frees George Glezmann from Taliab

The Taliban has released American hostage George Glezmann after more than two years of captivity in Afghanistan. The release came after negotiations between the Trump administration and Qatari officials, according to a diplomatic source familiar with the situation.

Glezmann, a 65-year-old American who was abducted while visiting Kabul as a tourist on December 5, 2022, departed from Kabul airport on Wednesday evening local time. He is on his way to Doha, where he will be met by U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler and a team from the Qatari Foreign Ministry.

The release of Glezmann follows direct talks between Boehler, officials from the Afghan foreign ministry, and Qatari officials. Qatar, which has maintained diplomatic relations with Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2021, played a crucial role as an intermediary in the release.

The Taliban’s gesture of releasing Glezmann is seen as a sign of trust in Qatar’s continued role in facilitating communication between Washington and Kabul. This differs from previous hostage releases, such as Ryan Corbett and William Mckenty, who were freed in exchange for a Taliban member in U.S. custody in a deal orchestrated by the Biden administration.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Glezmann’s release, stating, “George Glezmann is free. George was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for two and a half years, but now he’s on his way to be reunited with his wife Aleksandra. Welcome home, George!”

The Trump administration has prioritized hostage releases globally and worked to renew relations with adversarial nations. It remains unclear if Boehler’s meeting with the Afghan foreign ministry signals a potential establishment of official diplomatic ties with the Taliban as the U.S. continues efforts to secure the release of another American, Mahmood Habibi, who has been held by the Taliban for over two years.

As this story continues to develop, stay tuned for updates on George Glezmann’s release and ongoing efforts to secure the release of Mahmood Habibi.

Author: Caitlin McFall, Reporter at Fox News Digital covering Politics, U.S., and World news.