Tony Holden, a 60-year-old American defense contractor, has been released after spending 903 days imprisoned in Kuwait. Holden, arrested in 2022 on fabricated drug charges, thanked President Donald Trump directly for helping secure his freedom in an emotional video shared with media following his release.
“President Trump, I want to thank you for what you’ve done for me and my family,” Holden said, surrounded by loved ones. He credited Trump’s team and divine intervention for his survival and return, calling attention to the lives impacted by Trump’s behind-the-scenes efforts. Holden, a Christian and grandfather, emphasized his faith, stating, “We give all grace and honor to God.”
Holden’s ordeal began in November 2022 while working for U.S. contractor Vectrus at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. He was arrested during a search for drugs, though no evidence was found in his on-base or off-base residences. Despite passing a drug test and being coerced into signing a false confession in Arabic, Holden was charged with trafficking, possession, and attempting to flee.
Evidence later revealed inconsistencies, including a fabricated English-language conversation between Holden and officers who could not speak English. Nonetheless, Holden was sentenced to five years in prison without access to legal counsel. Even after a police investigation found the confession was coerced, Holden remained imprisoned.
In March, Kuwait released Holden and five other Americans, including veterans and military contractors. The U.S. government did not designate them as wrongfully detained, a decision criticized by advocates who argued these citizens were abandoned abroad under previous administrations.
Jonathan Franks, a consultant for Americans detained overseas, said earlier policies failed to prioritize citizens wrongly imprisoned. Breitbart News noted that Kuwait, despite being a U.S. ally, has detained multiple American contractors on questionable drug charges. Allegations of abuse and evidence fabrication have been repeatedly raised by families, though the Kuwaiti government has not addressed them.
Holden’s release adds to nearly two dozen American detainees freed by Kuwait in recent months. His public gratitude toward President Trump underscores ongoing concerns about U.S. citizens detained abroad and the role of presidential diplomacy in bringing them home.
