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Thursday, October 22, 2026

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Diplomacy · Thursday, October 22, 2026

Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard and he is home

The File desk · Oct. 22, 2026, 6:40 a.m. ET

Confirmed5 primary sources

Status

Confirmed by U.S. officials in their own words on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. President Trump, the White House, envoy Steve Witkoff, and the State Department said Stephen Hubbard was released and is back in the United States. The claim that nothing was given in return is theirs. Russia's account was not checked.
  • Confirmed
    Trump, the White House, Witkoff, and the State Department said Hubbard was released and is back in America.
  • Confirmed
    The administration says the release was not an exchange and that the United States gave nothing in return. That is their statement.
Stephen Hubbard, an American held in Russia, is back in the United States. President Trump said so at 6:37 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, and by evening the State Department said Hubbard was “finally back in America.”12
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Hubbard was “taken four years ago by Russia” and “was just released from prison,” after a request Trump said he had made to Vladimir Putin in a phone call last week. He wrote that Hubbard “is on his way back home and will soon be with his family,” and that “There was no “swap” necessary for this release.” The White House posted the same announcement at 7:56 a.m. Eastern.1
Special envoy Steve Witkoff wrote at 1:26 p.m. that he had been with Hubbard in St. Petersburg before Hubbard left for the United States, and that the president called Hubbard to check on him. Witkoff described Hubbard as a retired teacher and a U.S. Air Force veteran, and wrote, “This release was not part of an exchange.” At 6:27 p.m. the State Department wrote that Hubbard was “finally back in America with his loved ones after enduring four years of unjust detention.”2
A day earlier, in Mumbai, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had declined to discuss Hubbard except to say he should be released as soon as possible. Where Hubbard landed, and at what hour, is not in these posts. His age, the charge against him, and any sentence are not in them either. Trump's afternoon post said “Stephen Hubbard and Family COMING HOME,” and it does not say whether relatives traveled with him.3
Why it matters (Estimate). Estimate. An American who had been held in Russia is home. The administration says that happened because the president asked, and that the United States gave nothing in exchange. Readers still do not have Russia's account, or the city and the time he landed.
Witkoff wrote that he was with Hubbard in St. Petersburg on Wednesday before the flight home.
How we know

Notes

  1. 1.President Trump, Truth Social, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, 6:37 a.m. Eastern. https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117478460769539937 “Stephen Hubbard, taken four years ago by Russia during the Biden Administration, was just released from prison, at the request of President Donald J. Trump, made directly to President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation last week. Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family. The United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return - an unprecedented situation for Russia. There was no “swap” necessary for this release.” A later post the same morning, at 6:49 a.m., said people who had asked for sanctions on Russia called to apologize because they did not know he was negotiating the release, and that sanctions would have halted the talks. That is his account. https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117478508731391744 At 1:20 p.m. he posted “Stephen Hubbard and Family COMING HOME from Russia.” https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117480046790001681 The White House account, 7:56 a.m. Eastern: https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2112875664743563709 “President Donald J. Trump announces the release of Stephen Hubbard, taken four years ago by Russia during the Biden Administration. Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family.”
  2. 2.Steve Witkoff, @SEPeaceMissions, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, 1:26 p.m. Eastern. https://x.com/SEPeaceMissions/status/2112958731956760868 “Stephen is a proud American citizen, retired teacher, and U.S. Air Force veteran who loves our country. … It was my honor to be with Stephen in St. Petersburg today before he departed for the United States. … This release was not part of an exchange.” State Department, 6:27 p.m. Eastern. https://x.com/StateDept/status/2113034433364189187 “Stephen is finally back in America with his loved ones after enduring four years of unjust detention.” The same post says “more than 100 Americans” have been freed. Witkoff's post says “more than 110.” The two figures are not reconciled here, and neither is used as a total in the story. No State Department press release on Hubbard was found on the department's press list.
  3. 3.Secretary of State Marco Rubio, remarks to the press in Mumbai, posted by the State Department and dated Oct. 20, 2026. https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/10/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-remarks-to-the-press-20/ Asked about Hubbard: “Yeah, I don’t comment on that, other than to say that we think Mr. Hubbard should be released as soon as possible.”

What is still unknown or disputed

  • Where he landed in the United States, and when.
  • His age, the charge against him, and any sentence. Not in the official texts used here.
  • Whether relatives traveled with him. Trump's post says the family is coming home and does not explain that.
  • Russia's account of the release. Not checked.
  • The State Department's count of Americans freed and Witkoff's count do not match. Neither total is used in this story.

Primary sources

Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.

  1. Source 1

    Trump on Stephen Hubbard's release

    Truth Social · October 21, 2026

    Stephen Hubbard, taken four years ago by Russia, was just released from prison. There was no swap necessary for this release.

    https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117478460769539937

  2. Source 2

    White House announcement of the release

    The White House · October 21, 2026

    President Donald J. Trump announces the release of Stephen Hubbard. Stephen is on his way back home.

    https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2112875664743563709

  3. Source 3

    Witkoff on Hubbard leaving St. Petersburg

    Steve Witkoff · October 21, 2026

    It was my honor to be with Stephen in St. Petersburg today before he departed. This release was not part of an exchange.

    https://x.com/SEPeaceMissions/status/2112958731956760868

  4. Source 4

    State Department: Hubbard is back in America

    U.S. Department of State · October 21, 2026

    Stephen is finally back in America with his loved ones after enduring four years of unjust detention.

    https://x.com/StateDept/status/2113034433364189187

  5. Source 5

    Rubio remarks to the press in Mumbai

    U.S. Department of State · October 20, 2026

    I don’t comment on that, other than to say that we think Mr. Hubbard should be released as soon as possible.

    https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/10/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-remarks-to-the-press-20/

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