By Alexander Ward and Anat Peled
The Taliban has released American George Glezmann, ending his two-year detainment and giving President Trump a diplomatic victory that could reshape U.S. relations with Afghanistan.
The Taliban agreed to send Glezmann back to the U.S. in exchange for improved relations with Washington, U.S. officials said, forgoing its previous demand that America hand over imprisoned Taliban members.
In a Thursday statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, "George's release is a positive and constructive step. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan."
Trump, he continued, "will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world."
The Taliban did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Dennis Fitzpatrick, a lawyer for the Glezmann family, praised the Trump administration's efforts to bring George home after 836 days, directly naming Rubio, U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler, and national security adviser Mike Waltz. "George's release was achieved based on the unique skill and dedication of these people," he said
Boehler traveled to Kabul to get Glezmann, U.S. officials said.
The talks to secure Glezmann's release were mediated by Qatar, which has hosted senior Taliban leaders since 2013 with the support of the U.S.
"We extend our deepest appreciation to the State of Qatar, whose steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts were instrumental in securing George's release," Rubio said in the statement.
Securing Glezmann's return home is a significant win for Trump's early hostage-release efforts, which have become a major effort of his presidency. While the Trump administration brought back Americans from Venezuela, Gaza, and Belarus, among other places, Glezmann was a top priority for the new team and one of the more high-profile outstanding cases, U.S. officials said.
Waltz, National Security Council counterterrorism chief Sebastian Gorka and senior officials met in recent weeks with Aleksandra Glezmann at the White House, vowing to deal for Glezmann's release.
Getting George Glezmann back in exchange for what Trump administration officials describe as preliminary diplomatic talks is a marked departure from negotiations during the Biden administration, when U.S. officials weighed releasing Afghans, including one held at Guantanamo Bay, in exchange for Glezmann.
While then-President Joe Biden was still in charge in January, the U.S. and Taliban nearly swapped Glezmann and one other American, Ryan Corbett, for three Taliban members in American custody. Among them was Muhammad Rahim al Afghani, who the U.S. government alleges was a senior al Qaeda aide and is held in Guantanamo Bay. But Biden demanded the Taliban release an American the group denies holding, Mahmoud Habibi, and decided he wouldn't let go of Rahim. The deal fell apart.
But on his last day in office, Biden brought home Corbett -- who shared a cell in Afghanistan with Glezmann -- and William McKenty for a convicted Taliban drug trafficker.
There are still seven Americans detained in Afghanistan, including one who is deceased, that the Trump administration is actively working to release, U.S. officials said.
Glezmann, a Delta Air Lines mechanic, was touring Afghanistan when the Taliban seized him in December 2022. The State Department designated him as wrongfully detained 10 months after he was seized, giving the administration vast authorities to secure his release. The Biden administration's struggles to bring him home at one point led Glezmann's family to consider direct negotiations with the Taliban.
But it appears the Taliban has let Glezmann go to catalyze talks that might, eventually, end Afghanistan's international isolation.
In his first term, Trump struck a deal with the Taliban that eventually led to the Biden-directed withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, allowing the Taliban sweep to power in 2021. The Biden administration refused to recognize the Taliban as the country's leadership, imposing sanctions on Afghanistan and freezing its assets.
Write to Alexander Ward at alex.ward@wsj.com and Anat Peled at anat.peled@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 20, 2025 10:10 ET (14:10 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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