US Citizen Released from Saudi Arabia After Four Years Following Trump-MBS Meeting

A 75-year-old U.S. citizen imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for criticizing the royal family online has been freed after a four-year ordeal, with his release coming just one day after President Donald Trump met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington, D.C.

Saad Almadi, a retired engineer who has been a U.S. resident since 1976, was detained in 2021 during what was meant to be a routine family visit to Riyadh. Saudi authorities later sentenced him to more than 19 years in prison on terrorism charges related to a series of social media posts critical of the Saudi government.

“Our family is overjoyed that, after four long years, our father, Saad Almadi, is finally on his way home to the United States!” the Almadi family said in a statement Wednesday, specifically crediting Trump’s administration for securing his release.

The charges against Almadi were eventually reduced from terrorism to cyber crimes. Although he was released from prison in 2023, Saudi authorities had maintained an exit ban preventing him from returning to the United States until now.

According to reports, Almadi was flying from Riyadh to the U.S. on Wednesday, his departure coinciding with Trump and the crown prince appearing together at a forum in Washington.

Almadi’s case had drawn significant attention from human rights organizations and U.S. lawmakers after it was revealed he faced terrorism charges for 14 social media posts, including one suggesting that a street in Washington be renamed after Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist, was murdered inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018, an assassination that U.S. intelligence concluded was approved by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The timing of Almadi’s release appears to be linked to recent diplomatic engagements between the Trump administration and Saudi leadership. U.S. pressure to lift Almadi’s exit ban had intensified following Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia in May. Additionally, National Security Advisor Sebastian Gorka had met with Almadi’s son at the White House, further elevating the case’s profile.

“This day would not have been possible without President Donald Trump and the tireless efforts of his administration,” the family’s statement continued. “We are deeply grateful to Dr. Sebastian Gorka and the team at the National Security Council, as well as everyone at the State Department.”

The family also acknowledged the support of the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, nonprofit organizations, and members of Congress who advocated for Almadi’s freedom.

The James W. Foley Foundation, which advocates for Americans detained overseas, celebrated the news, stating it was “so excited” that the family’s persistent fight had finally achieved success.

Almadi’s release comes amid a broader recalibration of U.S.-Saudi relations under the Trump administration. Just this week, during the crown prince’s visit to Washington, President Trump designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, a significant status upgrade that provides military and economic privileges.

The case highlights the ongoing tension between maintaining strategic partnerships with Saudi Arabia—a key regional ally with vast oil reserves and economic influence—and addressing human rights concerns, including the kingdom’s treatment of dissidents and critics both domestically and abroad.

Human rights organizations continue to document widespread repression in Saudi Arabia, with numerous political prisoners and activists remaining detained despite international pressure for their release. Almadi’s case represents a rare diplomatic success in securing the freedom of a U.S. citizen caught in the kingdom’s restrictive legal system.