Trump falsely claims he gave up ānothingā to get Americans back.
Trumpās claim that he gave opposing countries āNOTHINGā to secure the freedom of American prisoners is false. Though Trump obtained or helped to obtain the release of some Americans held abroad without having to release anyone in return, he also presided over at least four exchanges in which he approved the release of prisoners from US detention in exchange for foreign governments releasing Americans.
A 2019 exchange with Iran
In 2019, the Trump administration secured the release of Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University PhD student who had been imprisoned in Iran since 2016, by agreeing to free an Iranian medical scientist who had been charged with trying to export biological materials from the US to Iran without authorization.
Trump acknowledged at the time that this was a prisoner exchange, telling reporters in 2019: āYeah, weāre very happy to have our hostage back. The whole Princeton University community is very thrilled. And there was a one-on-one hostage swap.ā
Federal prosecutors also dropped charges against the Iranian scientistās two co-defendants soon after the prisoner exchange.
A 2019 exchange with the Taliban
In 2019, three high-ranking Taliban prisoners, who had been imprisoned by the government of Afghanistan, were released in exchange for the Taliban freeing two professors, American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, who were abducted in 2016. Trump and the president of Afghanistan made clear that the Trump administration was involved in the deal; Trump wrote on social media when the deal was announced: āProud of my team!ā
A 2020 exchange with Iran
In 2020, the Trump administration secured the release of Navy veteran Michael White, who had been imprisoned in Iran since 2018, by agreeing to free an Iranian-American doctor who had pleaded guilty to violating US sanctions on Iran by trying to export a medical device there without authorization.
Trump wrote on social media at the time: āThank you to Iran, it shows a deal is possible!ā
A 2020 exchange with the Iran-backed Houthis
In 2020, the Trump administration secured the release of two Americans who were imprisoned by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, aid worker Sandra Loli and businessman Mikael Gidada, in exchange for the release of more than 200 Houthi militants who were being held in Oman. Those Houthis were allowed to return to Yemen.
An attempted 2018 exchange with Turkey
Trump said in August 2018 that he had personally gotten Israel to free a Turkish citizen who had been charged with aiding Hamas as part of an attempted arrangement in which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would release American pastor Andrew Brunson.
Erdogan did not do so immediately, prompting Trump to criticize him. Erdogan released Brunson in October 2018.
Trump tweeted upon the release that āthere was NO DEAL made with Turkeyā and added, āI donāt make deals for hostages,ā but his administration had already made clear that they had thought earlier in the year that there had been a deal.
