President Donald Trump on Wednesday endorsed his roving peace envoy’s description of Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian,” praising the autocratic figure for releasing an American citizen detained by Moscow. The comments followed a high-profile exchange in which U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff praised Putin during a meeting that was recorded and broadcast on Russian state media.
Witkoff, a real estate developer tasked with international negotiations, lauded Putin after the Russian leader offered complimentary remarks about Trump. During the recorded meeting, Witkoff addressed Putin directly, thanking him and stating that Putin was considered a humanitarian for his actions. When reporters later asked Trump whether he agreed with his envoy’s characterization, the president offered a qualified response.
“Well, I guess you could say for that particular purpose, for the purpose of allowing a man who was thinking he was going to be in prison for life out. But you know, I wouldn’t say anything one way or the other,” Trump said during a White House appearance alongside U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin following a roundtable discussion on cybercrime.
During his remarks, Trump also asserted that Russia had not been involved with Iran, overlooking the longstanding military and strategic partnership between Moscow and Tehran aimed at countering Western-aligned governments.
The diplomatic exchanges occurred hours after Putin announced the release of 74-year-old Stephen Hubbard, a retired American schoolteacher who had been imprisoned in Russia since April 2022. Hubbard had been serving a nearly seven-year sentence in a penal colony following a closed trial in October 2024, where a Moscow court convicted him of acting as a mercenary fighting on behalf of Ukraine—allegations that Hubbard denied.
Putin informed Witkoff that Hubbard was waiting at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport to fly back to the United States. Witkoff, who flew into Russia to discuss potential avenues for ending the ongoing conflict in Europe, thanked the Russian leader for the gesture amid concerns from Western allies regarding shifting U.S. diplomatic posture toward Kyiv and Moscow.
Trump welcomed Hubbard’s return, stating that the release was secured following a direct telephone call with Putin the previous week. The president asserted that Hubbard was freed entirely at his request without requiring any concessions from Washington, describing the situation as unprecedented in U.S.-Russia relations.
“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,” Trump said. He added that no prisoner swap was necessary for the release, and criticized the prior administration’s efforts regarding American detainees in Russia.
