Quote:In a Tuesday Oval Office press scrum, President Donald Trump teased that a retired American teacher whom Russia imprisoned under the Biden administration might be released and could be coming home to America. Trump neither confirmed nor denied the report, saying, "Just stick with me." However, he did take the opportunity to slam prior bad deals made by the administrations of Obama and Biden.

WATCH:

"Can you confirm reports that the U.S. is on the verge of a deal to free the American teacher, Stephen Hubbard, from Russia?"

@POTUS: "Just stick with me... Everybody's been after Hubbard for a long time — long before I got here — and just remember that question for a couple of days from now. You know why? Because I do things that nobody else can do."

In an early AM Truth Social announcement posted to President Trump's feed, that confirmation was given, and it is sure to create a news jolt that will have tongues wagging.

Stephen Hubbard, taken four years ago by Russia during the Biden Administration, was just released from prison, at the request of President Donald J. Trump, made directly to President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation last week. Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family. The United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return - an unprecedented situation for Russia. There was no “swap” necessary for this release. This major return should have taken place long ago through the Biden Administration, which got nowhere in its negotiations with the Kremlin. Stephen is on his way back home. “Welcome home Stephen, it’s great to have you back,” stated President Trump.

The New York Post further confirmed the president's Truth:

A retired American teacher was freed from a Russian prison where he had been imprisoned for over four years on charges he was fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine, US envoy Steve Witkoff announced Wednesday.

Stephen Hubbard, 74, was released from captivity and was at an airport waiting for a ride back to the US alongside Witkoff, who was in St. Petersburg meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I wanted to thank you very much. The president sends his thanks. Our whole nation sends it’s thanks,” Witkoff told Putin. “Because of you, he’s going home to his family.”

Hubbard, a U.S. Air Force and National guard veteran, was detained by Russia in 2022, at the start of the Russia-Ukraine War.

He had been living in the Ukrainian city of Izyum since 2014 and was accused of having signed up to be a mercenary with a Ukrainian territorial defense unit where he was allegedly promised $1,000 per month.

Hubbard’s family denied the accusations, saying he had shared pro-Russian sentiments and wouldn’t arm himself because of his age.

“He is so non-military,” his sister Patricia Hubbard Fox told Reuters by phone last month. “He never had a gun, owned a gun, done any of that…He’s more of a pacifist.”

Hubbard was sentenced to 6 years and 10 months in prison after he was convicted of the mercenary charge during a closed trial in Oct. 2024.

Hubbard is reportedly in poor health, and will be flown from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Texas, where he will receive treatment at a military hospital before being flown to his home state of Michigan.

Last week, Trump made a couple of head-scratching moves regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which garnered plenty of outrage on both sides of the aisle. We will see if that apparent game of 4-D chess renders any more surprises.

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Well, nothing other than a multi-billion dollar diesel fuel deal and a little aerobic genuflecting.