Trump meets freed American teacher Stephen Hubbard at White House

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 03:21 · Archive

President Trump hosted Stephen Hubbard, a retired teacher released from Russian prison after more than four years, at the White House on Friday.

President Trump hosted Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan, at the White House on Friday in his first public appearance since his release from Russian prison. Hubbard had been imprisoned for more than four years after being accused of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, charges his legal team denied.

Hubbard was arrested in eastern Ukraine in 2022 following Russia's invasion and was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison. According to the New York Post, his freedom came less than two weeks after Trump announced he was waiving US sanctions on Russian diesel. Trump said he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to free Hubbard and that no prisoner exchange took place, though he indicated negotiations were ongoing.

Hubbard described the moment he finally believed his release was real. 'I had heard it many times before, and I reached the state where seeing is believing,' he told Trump. He said he only trusted his freedom when guards gave him new clothes and led him from the prison, and he saw a car waiting. 'I never trusted what they said,' he said of his captors. 'Only when they started giving me new clothes and leading me to the exit of the prison did I believe.'

Hubbard said he would not have survived another year in Russian custody. He recalled that during his early imprisonment near the front lines, he had to scramble to avoid Ukrainian shells alongside the troops who captured him. Later, he said he had largely given up hope of release.

Trump called Hubbard 'a very special man' who 'suffered greatly'. When asked if he had been treated reasonably well, Hubbard said 'yes' and added that some guards had treated him 'sympathetically'. Hubbard's son attended the White House meeting and said he had feared his father would die in Russia.

How it is being reported

• Retired Michigan teacher released from Russian prison believed he would never be freedStephen Hubbard said that only when he was being taken from Moscow to St Petersburg did he believe he was ‘going somewhere’ In his first comments since recently being released from a Russian prison, a retired Michigan teacher said he only believed he would be freed when he got new clothes. Stephen Hubbard, 74, remarked on Friday that he had heard many times previously that he would be released – but never really trusted what he was told, adopting a philosophy of “seeing is believing” and “actions speak louder than words”. Continue reading...Guardian World · 30 Oct, 23:19
• Freed Russian prisoner Stephen Hubbard tells Trump ‘I wouldn’t have lasted another year,’ during emotional Oval Office visitPresident Trump on Friday hosted the recently released American inmate Stephen Hubbard at the White House — with the retired English teacher and veteran telling Trump he "wouldn't have lasted another year" in Russian custody.New York Post · 30 Oct, 21:01
• Trump meeting freed prisoner Stephen Hubbard at the White HouseStephen Hubbard was imprisoned in Russia for over four years until gaining release last week.CBS News · 30 Oct, 17:44

In this story: Stephen Hubbard · Donald Trump · Vladimir Putin · Russia · Ukraine · Michigan

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