Trump Administration Secures Release Of US Hostage Taken By Taliban

An American held by the Taliban for more than a year without being charged has been released and is headed home, Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler told Fox News.

Dennis Coyle, 64, an academic who spent nearly two decades working in Afghanistan, was taken from his home in Kabul in January 2025 by Taliban intelligence and held in near-solitary confinement, Boehler said. He added that Coyle committed no crime and was used as leverage.

Officials did not immediately disclose what, if anything, the Taliban demanded in exchange for Coyle’s release, and Boehler did not detail the route Coyle is taking back to the U.S. But the administration portrayed the outcome as a win for its pressure campaign and a signal that Washington intends to keep pushing hard when Americans are grabbed overseas.

After more than a year in Taliban custody, 64-year-old US citizen Dennis Coyle is finally free and on his way home to the United States. 🇺🇸
The Colorado academic, who had spent nearly two decades in Afghanistan doing language research and supporting local communities, was… pic.twitter.com/Z5nE1qSJ7o

— Arkadalo ® (@Arkadalo) March 24, 2026

The release comes weeks after Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Afghanistan a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” accusing the Taliban of “unjustly” detaining Americans and other foreign nationals like Coyle and calling for his release. The label is used by the State Department to publicly flag governments and regimes that hold people for political leverage rather than legitimate legal process.

Rubio’s move put the Taliban back in the spotlight over hostage cases and raised the stakes for any talks involving U.S. citizens. It also served as a warning to Americans abroad that detentions can happen quickly, without transparency, and with little recourse once someone disappears into Taliban custody.

Coyle’s case had drawn growing concern among friends and supporters because he was held without charges and with limited outside contact, according to Boehler. His work history in Afghanistan, including years in-country, made his detention all the more jarring to those who knew him, the envoy said.

Boehler said Coyle is on his way home. Further details were expected as officials confirm his arrival and outline next steps for any remaining Americans still detained in Afghanistan.

Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>