The son of a United States citizen held in Saudi Arabia for criticizing the Saudi authorities stated Wednesday the Trump administration secured his father’s launch and thanked US officers for serving to convey him home.
“They really delivered when it comes to my father’s situation. I understand Saudi Arabia is supposed to be our ally regime to us, but they’ve been mistreating us for a while now. And finally, they are correcting the course when it comes to my father’s situation,” Ibrahim Almadi advised NCS’s Erin Burnett on “OutFront.”
His father, Saad Ibrahim Almadi, a US-Saudi twin nationwide, was given a 16-year sentence for tweets essential of the Saudi authorities in 2022. He was launched in 2023 but remained in Riyadh under a travel ban. His son insisted on the time that his father wouldn’t be free till he was in the US.
NCS has reached out to the State Department and the White House for remark.
News of Almadi’s launch got here as President Donald Trump appeared at a US-Saudi funding convention in Washington, DC. Trump, who has actively sought to domesticate his relationship with Saudi Arabia in his second time period, hosted a lavish state go to on Tuesday for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, who the president praised for what he known as an “incredible” report on human rights.
Ibrahim Almadi advised NCS that his father was advised his launch was “a forgiveness from the king and crown prince.” Asked if his father’s launch was related to the state go to this week, Almadi stated, “Absolutely. It’s crystal clear to me that, Mr. President, without him, my father wouldn’t be released. I’m quite thankful for the Trump administration and the Department of State.”
The Almadi household confirmed in an announcement posted to X earlier Wednesday that Saad Ibrahim Almadi was on his means home to the United States, noting “This day would not be possible without President Donald Trump and the tireless efforts of his administration.”
“Thank you to everyone who stood by us during this horrific ideal,” the household stated. “We hope the support and care we received will continue for those still held hostage in Saudi Arabia and in other parts of the world.”
NCS’s Kylie Atwood, Kevin Liptak, Mostafa Salem and Celine Alkhaldi contributed to this report.