Grateful releasee expresses appreciation towards Trump following years spent as captive in Kuwait suburbs
Tony Holden, an American defense contractor, is throwing a fist bump to President Donald Trump after scoring his freedom from detention in Kuwait. In a heartfelt video surrounded by family and friends, Holden dropped a surprise thanks to the commander-in-chief.
"I wanted you to take a moment to consider how you've shifted the course for folks like me, personally," a teary-eyed Holden said. He called the folks behind the operation to bring him home "divine instruments."
Picture this: Adam Boehler, Trump's top hostage affairs guy, giving a warm welcome to Tony Holden at Washington Dulles International Airport, in mid-April 2025. (U.S. State Dept. via AP)
Welcome Home, Champ!
Remember when Holden was picked up back in November 2022 at Camp Arifjan, a U.S. Army base in Kuwait, under Vectrus, a stateside company? His family detailed the whole wild ride on a dedicated website pushing for his release.
In a nutshell, a gang of bad dudes nabbed Holden and turned physical real quick, leading Tony to think kidnapping was on the menu. They demanded to see his apartment on base where they searched for drugs—a accusation Holden's crew thinks was bogus since he steers clear of drugs and booze for religious reasons. Once they realized Holden had a wifey and a princess to protect, they forced him to lead them to his off-base pad for another beating.
Tony Hooks Up with Loved Ones After Kuwaiti Detention
Once at the second off-base apartment, the hoodlums still didn't find the goods. They hauled Holden, along with his spouse and 3-year-old tot, out into the desert in the dead of night. Tony's peeps claimed the fellas threatened his clan. They eventually forced Holden to sign a written confession, in Arabic no less, to safeguard his family. A drug test proved negative, but Holden was still popped for drug possession, trafficking, and trying to peg it from the country. No legal representation for this guy.
The judge in the case finally recognized the fraud, as the officers presented a hacked conversation between themselves and Holden in English, even though they didn't know the lingo. Despite this, Holden got hit with a five-year stretch, serving it all before winning his freedom on April 30, 2025.
Waving His Fist from the White House, Prez Trump Greets Marc Fogel After Reunion with the U.S.
Remember when Trump secured the release of Marc Fogel, an American teacher held captive in Russia back in February 2025? Fogel showed some love to Trump for pulling off the rescue. Fogel and his mama were VIP guests at Trump's address to Congress in early March.
our website Digital put in a request for comment to the State Department, but whoa, no response in time for this story's deadline.
Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for our website Digital and FOX Business.
- In a surprising twist of events, Tony Holden, the American defense contractor, expresses his gratitude to President Donald Trump for securing his release from detention in Kuwait, a situation that mirrors the former's case.
- As politics continue to shape the world, the general news segment welcomes the 2025 release of Tony Holden, who was detained in Kuwait in November 2022, following a series of kidnappings, interrogations, and false accusations of drug possession.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts series covers Tony Holden's ordeal in Kuwait, where he was held captive and faced threats to his family, eventually signing a false confession in Arabic.
- The crime-and-justice beat highlights the case of Tony Holden, an American defense contractor who faced unjust charges of drug possession, trafficking, and attempting to flee the country, spending five years in detention before his release in April 2025.
- Igniting a wave of hope in the fight against wrongful detentions and political turmoil, Tony Holden's story of survival and perspective on President Trump's role in securing his freedom adds a new chapter to the breaking news and politics sphere.
