After More Than Four Years in Russian Custody, Freed American Teacher Stephen Hubbard Walks Into the Oval Office as Trump Welcomes Him Home
Washington — President Trump on October 30 welcomed Stephen Hubbard, the American citizen released from Russian custody last week, in the Oval Office at the White House. The White House released the full video of the roughly 12-minute meeting. Hubbard, wearing a plaid shirt, stood beside the President, with his son and an Orthodox priest also present.
Introducing him in the Oval Office, Trump said, "This is Stephen Hubbard," adding that he "came in from Russia." Trump said he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the case, and that the Russian side told him, "We'll let him come back." He said the request had been spur of the moment: "I said, 'Could you let Stephen out?' And they were very nice in that regard."
Asked how long he had been held, Hubbard answered, "Four and a half" years. Describing the moment of his release, he said he had heard such promises too many times before to believe them: only when they gave him new clothes and led him to the exit of the prison, and he saw the car, did he finally believe it. "I wouldn't have lasted another year," he said. His son said the family had given up most hope and had been afraid they were going to lose him there.
Trump said he had deliberately delayed his trip to Florida that day to wait for Hubbard at the White House: "They're waiting for me now... I wanted to wait for Stephen." He also offered Hubbard a ride on Air Force One.
Hubbard, 74, is a retired teacher from Michigan. He was detained by Russian forces in Ukraine in 2022 and accused of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine, and was held for four and a half years; the U.S. government had designated him as wrongfully detained. According to CBS News and other outlets, his release was announced on October 21: U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff was meeting Putin in St. Petersburg that day, and Russia freed Hubbard during the talks. Trump said he had personally asked Putin to release him and that no prisoner swap was involved. Hubbard arrived in the United States on Wednesday, October 28, and was expected to receive treatment at a military hospital in Texas.
During questions from reporters, Trump said some had wanted him to impose sanctions on Russia while he was negotiating, and that he had refused: "I'm speaking to President Putin. 'I'd like to get Stephen Hubbard back, Mr. President. And by the way, we're putting sanctions on you right now.' Can you imagine?" Asked about other Americans still held in Russia, Trump said the number "seems to be eight" and that the United States is working on their cases as well; earlier news reports had put the figure as high as 10. Trump also briefly took questions on the Binance hack and on talks with Iran.
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Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国总统特朗普在白宫椭圆形办公室迎接上周从俄罗斯获释返美的美国公民 Stephen Hubbard。白宫官方视频截图，公共领域。 / Photo: President Trump welcomes Stephen Hubbard, the American citizen released from Russian custody last week, in the Oval Office at the White House. Still from the official White House video, public domain.
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- 2026-10-30After More Than Four Years in Russian Custody, Freed American Teacher Stephen Hubbard Walks Into the Oval Office as Trump Welcomes Him HomeThis story
