An American defense contractor who was freed from Kuwait on Wednesday praised President Donald Trump for the effort that led to his release.
Tony Holden was freed Wednesday after 903 days in captivity, according to Fox News.
“President Trump, I want to thank you for what you’ve done for me and my family,” Holden said in a video posted to X by Sebastian Gorka.
“I wanted you to know that — everyone on the team, everyone who has supported this effort — that you know that we greatly appreciate it,” he said.
47 hostages in 100 days thanks to the President.
This is today, Dulles Airport.
Tony Holden is a contractor from Memphis that was imprisoned for four years and hasn’t seen his youngest daughter since she was a baby.
He’s home. Because of President @realDonaldTrump.
47 for 47. pic.twitter.com/5TzUq1DtGm
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) May 1, 2025
“I wanted you to be able to meditate on how you’ve affected, personally, lives and the difference that you’ve made,” Holden said. “I’m a 60-year-old grandfather and father so, I’m just, I can’t put words in how excited …”
“I give all the grace and honor to God. He uses instruments, and there have been a lot of people behind the scenes who have done a great work, so I wanted you to be able to hear that directly from me,” he said.
In the post, Gorka said 47 “hostages” have been freed by Trump. He said Holden had not seen his youngest daughter since she was a baby.
Did the Biden administration not care about U.S. hostages overseas or were they unable to negotiate?
According to Fox News, Holden was arrested in November 2022 while he worked at Camp Arifjan, an Army base in Kuwait, for Vectrus, a U.S.-based contractor.
Holden has alleged he was arrested on allegations he had illegal drugs, which he says he did not possess.
He later signed a confession after his wife and then-3-year-old daughter were threatened and he was beaten.
The family alleged Holden’s trial was rigged, and he was sentenced to five years in prison even after officials determined his confession was coerced.
Holden was among 10 Americans released Wednesday by Kuwait, according to the Associated Press. That brings the total of Americans freed by Kuwait to 23 in the first few months of the Trump administration.
Adam Boehler, the administration’s envoy for hostage affairs, said talks with Kuwait to free the Americans moved swiftly.
“We flew out. We sat down with the Kuwaitis, and they said, ‘Listen, no one’s ever asked before at this level,” to have Americans released, he said.
“They’ve been extremely responsive, and their view is the United States is a huge ally. They know it’s a priority for [Trump] to bring Americans home,” Boehler explained.
“I credit it to the Kuwaiti understanding that we’ve stood up for them historically, and they know that these things are important for the president.”
Boehler said the releases were not part of a swap.
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