We reported on Thursday about the release of Russian-American Ksenia Karelina in a prisoner exchange from Russian captivity.
Karelina was wrongly detained by the Russians after she was convicted and given 12 years for making a $51 contribution to help the elderly and children affected by the war in Ukraine. Megyn Kelly highlighted the case with Karelina's fiancee, Chris van Heerden, earlier this week. raising awareness of the case, explaining that Karelina made that donation in the U.S. to a U.S.-based non-profit. Karelina then subsequently went to Russia to visit her family, and that's when she was detained. She'd been held for over a year already in bad conditions when Kelly featured the story and said the Trump team was trying to get her home.
.@MegynKelly talks to boxer @TheHeat001 Chris van Heerden about his girlfriend, Ksenia Karelina, who has been wrongfully detained in Russia for more than a year, and his work in trying to get her freed: https://t.co/5uAJ3lmFXU
— The Megyn Kelly Show (@MegynKellyShow) April 8, 2025
Watch below, and find the FULL interview here:… pic.twitter.com/Rzjr7xAT65
Then we got the news that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump team had secured her release, with help from a lot of people, including the United Arab Emirates,
READ MORE: Essex Files: U.S. Secures Release of Dual Citizen Wrongfully Detained by Russia
Now she's finally home and in the arms of her fiancé.
Single-handedly my greatest accomplishment in my life. Ksenia is officially on American soil FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!! Jesus answered prayer Thank you Mr. President @potus 15 months of never-die, never-give-up attitude. Thank you @danawhite & Peter Berg Thank you to absolutely… pic.twitter.com/aqsjOVTkhg
— Chris van Heerden (@TheHeat001) April 11, 2025
She was so full of joy, with thanks to Trump and his team for getting her out.
Ksenia Karelina just landed back home in America—the 45th U.S. citizen freed by President Donald J. Trump in just 9 weeks.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 11, 2025
“Mr. Trump, I'm so, so grateful for you to bring me home and for American government… I never felt more blessed to be American… Thank you.” 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/SOwbIJDd2A
“Mr. Trump, I’m so, so grateful for you to bring me home and for American government. And I never felt more blessed to be an American, and I’m so, so happy to get home. Thank you.”
According to the White House, this is the 45th American that Trump has been able to bring home in the short time he's been in office. That's truly what it means to be "America First" — when you make the American people and their freedom your priority.
I don't even recall Joe Biden talking about this case or so many of the other cases. They didn't seem to be any kind of a priority to him, a vast contrast with President Trump. Nor did the media follow up or hold him to account for his failure of action.
READ MORE: More Winning: Rubio Just Made a Big Announcement About American Being Held in Belarus
Trump responded to Ksenia's "thank you" video, saying on Truth Social, "Glad to have you back home."
How good it is to finally have someone in the seat of power who acts on that power for the people.
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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