The family of Saad Almadi, a 75-year-old American, is calling for President Trump to intervene on his behalf during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia.
Almadi, a dual citizen and retired engineer, has been detained in the kingdom since late 2021.
His arrest stems from tweets criticizing the Saudi government.
While, the family hopes Trump’s visit will lead to his release.
Despite being released from prison in 2023, he is still facing a potential trial and remains under a travel ban
Saad Almadi’s detention and trial over social media posts
The family of Saad Almadi, a 75-year-old American citizen detained in Saudi Arabia.
They hope The U.S president Donald Trump will secure his release.
Almadi, a dual U.S.-Saudi citizen and retired engineer. He was jailed in 2021 for social media posts criticizing the Saudi government.
Ibrahim Almadi, Saad’s son, shared with the media that his father recently attempted to travel to Dubai.
However , he was informed of his ongoing trial and travel restrictions
Ibrahim described the situation as a “miserable court system.”
“Basically in court they said the charges are dropped and now they are refusing to let him travel. They said, ‘No, the charges are still there, they aren’t dropped.’ It’s just a miserable court system.”
He explained that authorities are unclear about whether the charges have been dropped, leading to confusion and frustration.
Almadi was jailed for criticizing Saud in tweets from Florida.
Previously, Almadi was jailed for tweets posted in Florida criticizing Saudi defense and referencing Jamal Khashoggi
Saad Almadi’s charges stem from posts made in Florida.
According to report. he criticized Saudi responses to Houthi rockets and praised D.C.’s tribute to Khashoggi.
His tweets suggested that Saudis pursue Lebanese citizenship. While mild by U.S. standards, they are criminalized under Saudi law.
He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2022, which was later extended to 19 years without clear explanation.
Can President Trump help free Saad Almadi from Saudi Arabia?
Almadi’s son, Ibrahim, believes Trump’s close relationship with Saudi leaders could lead to his father’s return to the U.S.
Trump’s past success in securing the release of Americans held abroad, including one recently freed from Hamas captivity, has raised hopes. Many now believe he could help broker Almadi’s release as well.
He said: “President Trump is a president of deals and agreements. He’s a businessman and has a great relationship with the Saudis. So he can easily secure the release of my father to return back to his kids and grandkids in the States.”
Ibrahim recently met with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who called Trump “the president of deals” and voiced confidence in his intervention.
The U.S president Trump has a history of winning Americans’ freedom abroad
Previously, Trump helped free Edan Alexander, a U.S.-Israeli citizen held by Hamas, after direct talks that bypassed U.S. diplomatic channels.
His envoy, Adam Boehler, also persuaded Kuwait to release 23 Americans earlier this year, many jailed for minor offenses.
Trump’s 2024 campaign claims he had unmatched success in bringing home detained Americans. It contrasts his record with what they call President Biden’s “failures.”
Travel ban remains despite court claims that charges were dropped
Almadi tried to travel to Dubai in March, but was stopped and told his 19-year ban was still active.
“They told him to contact the Ministry of Interior,” said Ibrahim. “The ministry said the trial is still pending.”
“They keep saying the charges are dropped, but nothing changes. It’s a broken, miserable court system,” he added.
Almadi’s family says Trump is their last hope after Biden administration failed to act
Ibrahim previously criticized President Biden for not publicly raising his father’s case during a 2022 trip to Saudi Arabia.
That trip, aimed at lowering gas prices, did not lead to Almadi’s release. In fact, his sentence was extended afterward.
“President Trump has influence with the Saudis,” said Ali al-Ahmed, director of the Institute for Gulf Affairs. “He just needs to ask.”