Oval Office Visit: Stephen Hubbard Returns Home After Four Years

A retired teacher from Michigan is back in the United States after spending more than four years in a Russian prison. Stephen Hubbard met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday, ending a long legal battle over his detention.

Hubbard was charged in Russia with fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. His legal team rejected those accusations, stating he had no involvement in military activity. During the meeting, Trump told reporters, "He was somebody I wanted to get back." The president said he personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for Hubbard's release. Trump also noted that the United States did not have to release any prisoners in return for Hubbard's freedom.

Hubbard described a cautious approach to his final days in custody. He said he heard many times that he would be freed but never fully trusted the information. He adopted a posture of "seeing is believing" and "actions speak louder than words." Only when guards provided him with new clothes and led him to a waiting vehicle did he feel certain he was leaving.

He recounted the moment of clarity to Trump. "I went out and I saw the car, and I was accompanied by a couple of Russians, then I believed, finally believed, on the drive from Moscow to St. Petersburg, 'I'm really going somewhere,'" Hubbard said. The White House restricted access to the room, allowing only a limited pool of journalists, including news photographers and a television crew, to attend.

Hubbard had been held in Russia for over 48 months. His case drew attention to the status of American citizens detained abroad. The meeting marked his first public appearance since his arrival in the U.S. earlier this week.