Trump announces missionary Kevin Rideout reunited with wife after Niger captivity

President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform to announce that Christian missionary Kevin Rideout, who was seized in Niger in October 2025, has been reunited with his spouse following his liberation. The update included photographs posted by Deputy Assistant to the President Sebastian Gorka, showing the couple together and highlighting Rideout’s remarks about his gratitude toward Trump and his habit of silently singing "Proud to be an American" while awaiting rescue.

Rideout’s release was secured by Trump’s team last week, after Islamic militants freed him and handed him back to U.S. authorities. No organization formally claimed the kidnapping, but the incident occurred amid a landscape dominated by various jihadist military groups. Niger, part of the broader Sahel region, has experienced recent coups and power shifts that prompted the exit of French and American counter-terrorism forces.