An American woman recently released from Taliban custody in Afghanistan expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump for helping secure her freedom. Faye Hall, who was detained in February, appeared in a video shared by Trump on Truth Social on Saturday, where she thanked him for her safe return home.
“Thank you for bringing me home,” Hall said in the video, smiling and appearing to be in good health. She also spoke about the plight of Afghan women in Taliban jails, saying, “All the women in the Afghan jail, they always ask me, ‘When is Trump coming?’ They truly treat you like their savior. They’re waiting for you to come and set them free.”
Hall, along with British couple Peter and Barbie Reynolds and their Afghan translator, was arrested on February 1 while traveling to Bamiyan province. The Taliban have not publicly disclosed the reasons for their detention, though reports suggest Hall was accused of unauthorised drone use.
Former US envoy to Kabul Zalmay Khalilzad confirmed that Hall was in the care of the Qatari delegation in Kabul before her release. “American citizen Faye Hall, just released by the Taliban, is now in the care of our friends, the Qataris in Kabul, and will soon be on her way home,” Khalilzad wrote on X. According to sources, she was released on Thursday following a court order, with logistical support from Qatar.
Hall’s release follows a series of US citizen detentions and negotiations with the Taliban. Earlier this year, the militant group freed American George Glezmann after more than two years in captivity, in a deal brokered by Qatar. In January, two other US citizens, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, were freed in exchange for an Afghan fighter convicted of narco-terrorism in the US.
At least one American, Mahmood Habibi, remains detained in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the British couple detained with Hall is still in Taliban custody. Their daughter has expressed concerns about her father’s health and urged authorities to facilitate their release. The Reynolds, who have lived in Afghanistan since 1970, ran educational programs in the country and chose to stay even after the Taliban took over in 2021.
The Taliban government remains unrecognised by the international community, though countries such as Russia, China, Turkey, and Qatar maintain diplomatic channels. Since Trump’s re-election, the Taliban have expressed hopes for a “new chapter” in their relationship with Washington.
In response to Hall’s message, Trump posted, “Thank you Faye — So honored with your words!”
