President Trump on Thursday announced 48-year-old Navy Veteran Michael White, who had been detained in Iran for over a year and a half, was on a Swiss plane on his way back to the US.
“We expect him to be home with his family in America very soon,” Trump wrote. “I will never stop working to secure the release of all Americans held hostage overseas!”
….I will never stop working to secure the release of all Americans held hostage overseas! Thank you Switzerland for your great assistance.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
According to the State Department, White was arrested in the city of Mashhad in 2018 and was sentenced in 2019 to 13 years for insulting Iran’s Supreme Leader and posting private information online.
Michael White’s mother Joanne told the New York Times last year that her son had traveled to Iran to visit his girlfriend.
Joanne White said, “For the past 683 days my son, Michael, has been held hostage in Iran by the (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) and I have been living a nightmare. I am blessed to announce that the nightmare is over, and my son is safely on his way home.”
Michael White thanked President Trump when he landed in Zurich.
WATCH:
Navy veteran Michael White on his release from Iran: I want to thank President @realDonaldTrump for helping to free me pic.twitter.com/CwKKDC1ze4
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) June 4, 2020
