President Donald Trump’s administration confirmed on Tuesday that a U.S. Air Force veteran wrongfully detained in Venezuela since last November was released as part of the administration’s “America First strategy.”
According to The Miami Herald, Joseph St. Clair, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was released by Venezuela on Tuesday and handed over to Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions of United States Richard Grenell as part of a deal that is expected to help the Chevron Corporation continue operating in Venezuela for two more months.
The Miami Herald reported that St. Clair, who served in the U.S. Air Force for four tours in Afghanistan, had been detained in Venezuela since traveling to South America for post-traumatic stress disorder treatment. The outlet noted that Venezuelan Information Minister Freddy Nazareth Ñáñez confirmed St. Clair’s release and said the diplomatic handoff took place on the island of Antigua.
In a Tuesday statement obtained by The Miami Herald, Pete Nguyen, the director of strategic communications for the National Security Council, said, “We have secured the release of U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair after six months of unjust detention in Venezuela. At the President’s direction, Special Envoy Ric Grenell engaged with top Venezuelan officials and successfully secured St. Clair’s freedom and return home to the United States.”
Nguyen added, “Our fight is not over – the Trump Administration will continue working around the clock to free all Americans still wrongfully detained in Venezuela and elsewhere around the world.”
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In a statement obtained by Fox News, the U.S. Air Force veteran’s family expressed gratitude for the 47th president and his administration’s efforts to secure St. Clair’s release from Venezuela.
The U.S. Air Force veteran’s parents, Scott and Patti St. Clair, said, “This news came suddenly, and we are still processing it—but we are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude.”
Sharing pictures of St. Clair’s release on X, formerly Twitter, Grenell tweeted, “Joe St. Clair is back in America.”
Grenell explained that he met with Venezuelan officials in a “neutral country” on Tuesday to “negotiate an America First strategy.” The special envoy added, “This is only possible because @realDonaldTrump puts Americans first.”
Fox News reported that at least 37 Americans have been released from Venezuela, Russia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Israel, and Kuwait since Trump’s inauguration in January.
According to Fox News, St. Clair is the seventh American citizen to be released from detainment in Venezuela under the Trump administration. The outlet noted that six other American citizens were released from Venezuela in January following a meeting between Grenell and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
