Trump Secures Release of 75-Year-Old American Detained in Saudi Arabia 4 Years

A U.S. citizen jailed in Saudi Arabia for criticizing the royal family online was freed Wednesday by Saudi authorities, ending a four-year ordeal in the country, according to media reports.

Saad Almadi’s release came just a day after President Donald Trump met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington, D.C., per the New York Post.

So, what happened? Let’s get right to it. The man they’re talking about is Saad Almadi, a 75-year-old retired American engineer. He was arrested in Saudi Arabia back in 2021 and handed a ridiculous 19-year prison sentence for a few old, critical tweets. Even after he was let out of prison in 2023, the Saudis hit him with an exit ban, trapping him there.

Then, President Donald Trump held a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington. The very next day, Saad Almadi was on a plane back to the United States. That isn’t a coincidence. It’s a direct line from action to results, and it’s what happens when a real leader is in charge.

For decades, the pin-striped suits in the State Department and their media allies have droned on about the delicate dance of diplomacy. It’s a performance filled with meaningless summits, toothless statements, and “ongoing dialogue” that accomplishes nothing. For the Almadi family, that tired routine produced only four years of pain.

President Trump’s method, on the other hand, is built on the simple, radical promise of “America First.” It’s not just a catchphrase for rallies; it’s a life-saving foreign policy. As Trump official Dr. Sebastian Gorka put it, “No American Left Behind. That is President @realDonaldTrump’s promise from Day One.” This is the fulfillment of that promise—a clear-eyed focus on the mission, which is protecting our own citizens.