FBI Director Kash Patel reaffirmed on March 6 the bureau’s commitment to securing the release of American hostages and detainees abroad, declaring that his team would work to “zero out” the number of U.S. citizens held in foreign captivity.
Patel made the remarks during a flag-raising ceremony at the State Department honoring the hostage community and their families.
“My singular promise to you in this community is that I will do everything as the director of the FBI to marshal the resources necessary to make sure that no other American family feels that pain,” Patel said.
The event brought together former hostages, detainees, and their families, along with government officials and congressional representatives involved in U.S. hostage recovery efforts.
Patel said that recovering Americans held abroad is a top priority for the Trump administration and a mission that involves close coordination between multiple agencies, including the FBI, the State Department, and the intelligence community.
“For me, there’s no one agency that gets this done. It is an inter-agency process,” Patel said.
“We will utilize the full weight of the inter-agency, we will work with our partners in the CIA and the intelligence community, and we will demolish any political obstacles that stand in the way.”
His comments came as the administration continues efforts to bring home Americans detained in Russia, Venezuela, and other countries.
The U.S. government is also working to secure the release of Americans still held by the Hamas terrorist group since its Oct. 7, 2023, land, sea, and air attack on Israel. Adam Boehler, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be special envoy for hostage affairs, has been leading negotiations with Hamas to facilitate their return.
Patel referenced the case of Bob Levinson, a retired FBI agent who went missing in Iran 18 years ago, as a solemn reminder of the work that remains. Addressing family members of hostages, he urged them to continue sharing their stories to help raise public awareness.
“The American people don’t know all of your stories, and you are the best way to communicate to the American people so they understand why this administration is putting such an emphasis on these matters,” Patel said.
Patel expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the FBI at a time when hostage rescue is a central focus. He reiterated that the bureau would use its full legal authority to prevent more Americans from being taken and to bring current hostages home.
“We still don’t have everybody back,” he said. “Whatever lawful authorities we have at the FBI, we are going to give 24/7, 365 days to make sure that we zero out this number and to make sure we prevent others from going into situations that you are now all too familiar with.”
The FBI’s hostage recovery efforts are coordinated through a multiagency fusion cell dedicated to cases involving Americans in foreign captivity. Meanwhile, the State Department oversees diplomatic negotiations through a special presidential envoy for hostage affairs. Boehler, who was nominated to that role, stressed the administration’s determination to bring every hostage home.
“When the president asked me if there was any job that I thought that I wanted to focus on, I told him that this was the only one I would look at,” Boehler said at the event. “Because I think there’s nothing more important for this country than for everyone to know that if they’re abroad and they’re taken, that the country has their back.”
Patel concluded his remarks with a message of solidarity to hostage families, assuring them that their loved ones have not been forgotten.
“We are going to get the hostages and detainees home, and we are going to bring closure to the families that have been waiting far too long,” he said.
