Former schoolteacher Stephen Hubbard is returning to the United States after being released from Russian custody, a move President Donald Trump claims was the direct result of his personal intervention. The announcement came while U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff was visiting St. Petersburg for meetings with Vladimir Putin regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In a post on Truth Social, Trump welcomed Hubbard home and asserted that the release followed a specific request he made during a phone call with the Russian leader last week.
Hubbard, a 74 year old Michigan native, had been held since 2022 when Russian forces briefly seized the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum, where he lived with his wife. Although he was eventually sentenced to nearly seven years in prison under accusations of acting as a mercenary, Hubbard consistently maintained that he never participated in combat and was simply taken from his residence. His legal battle became a point of contention, culminating in what Trump described as an unprecedented diplomatic victory.
Taking credit for the outcome, Trump emphasized that unlike typical prisoner exchanges, there was no swap required for Hubbard’s freedom. He argued that Russia granted the release out of respect for him personally and used the moment to criticize the previous administration, claiming that similar negotiations under Joe Biden had failed completely. According to the White House statement, Hubbard is currently en route to reunite with his family.
This diplomatic development coincides with a busy stretch for Trump as he navigates high stakes political rallies in North Carolina and South Carolina ahead of upcoming elections. While celebrating the return of Hubbard, Trump has also shifted focus toward domestic issues such as AI infrastructure and energy costs, suggesting that large data center developers should provide dividends or excess electricity back to their local host communities to mitigate public frustration over resource consumption.
