Prior to taking office again, President Donald Trump unmistakably warned foreign adversaries and rivals to swiftly release any U.S. citizens who were being held hostage or unjustly imprisoned, or else face potentially dire consequences.

On Friday, it was revealed that Trump's envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, had secured the release of six Americans who'd been wrongfully held in the custody of Venezuela's socialist regime, Breitbart reported.

It is unclear what, if any, concessions were made to dictatorial President Nicholas Maduro, but the deal struck during Grenell's visit reportedly also included an agreement for Venezuela to accept the repatriation from the U.S. of deported criminal illegal aliens who originally hailed from that South American nation.

American detainees released

In a Friday evening Truth Social post, President Trump wrote, "Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!"

About 15 minutes earlier, Grenell posted on his X account a photo of himself on a plane with the six U.S. citizens who'd just been freed from Venezuelan bondage and announced that they were in the air and on their way home.

"We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens," Grenell said. "They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him."

We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens.

They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him. pic.twitter.com/sCvCO4HQQv

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 1, 2025

Venezuela to finally accept deported Venezuelans

The Associated Press reported that President Trump had quietly dispatched Grenell to meet directly with Venezuelan President Maduro to not only negotiate the release of detained U.S. citizens but also to discuss the acceptance of deported Venezuelans, which the regime previously refused to formally receive.

It would appear that Grenell was at least partially successful in that special mission, as he was able to secure the release of six of the estimated 10 total Americans detained by Maduro's regime for various dubious reasons.

Grenell also succeeded in making arrangements for the socialist regime to accept criminal illegal alien Venezuelans who'd been deported out of the U.S., as Trump himself announced in a Saturday morning Truth Social post.

"It is so good to have the Venezuela Hostages back home and, very important to note, that Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua," the president wrote. "Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back."

"We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries, and all Countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back," he added. "Furthermore, record numbers of criminals are being removed from our Country, and the Border numbers are the strongest they have been since the First Term of the Trump Administration!"

Released detainees not yet identified

As of the publication of the AP report, the six Americans released by Venezuela had not yet been identified and there was no word on the status of their health and well-being.

It was also unclear what the fate of any remaining American detainees in Venezuela might be or if Grenell would continue to undertake efforts to negotiate their release as well.