BY : Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter
President Donald Trump and the Evangelical Christian mission organization SIM International have confirmed the release of American missionary pilot Kevin Rideout, who was abducted in Niger last October.
“Kevin Rideout, a wonderful Christian Missionary, is back in United States Custody,” President Trump stated in a Truth Social post Friday morning, following early reports of Rideout’s release, citing unamed officials.
“Kevin was kidnapped by Jihadi terrorists in West Africa — The epicenter of Islamist terrorism, where there have been more deadly attacks in the past year than anywhere else on Earth.”
“The United States of America looks forward to welcoming you HOME,” the president said.
SIM International released a statement earlier Friday confirming that its “good friend and brother in Christ, Kevin Rideout, has been released after over nine months in captivity.” As explained by SIM International, Rideout was kidnapped outside his home in Niamey, Niger on Oct. 21, 2025.
“Kevin is in good health in the care of US officials,” SIM International stated. “He will soon be reunited with Krista, his children, and his extended family. Krista and the rest of Kevin’s family are profoundly grateful for the prayers offered on their behalf by people around the world throughout his captivity, and in particular for the deep level of prayer and support offered by our SIM family.”
While requesting respect for the “privacy of the family while they reconnect after this time apart,” SIM International invited Christians worldwide to “join us in giving thanks to the Lord for this incredibly good news!”
U.S. officials told The New York Times Thursday that Rideout had been released and was en route to the United States. Additional details about the terms of Rideout’s release remain unclear. Rideout’s kidnapping prompted the U.S. Embassy in Niger to issue a security alert warning that “American citizens remain at a heightened risk of kidnapping throughout Niger, including in the capital city.”
Rideout’s release marks the second time this week that an American citizen detained overseas has seen his captivity come to an end.
On Tuesday, the White House and the U.S. State Department announced that Russia had agreed to release former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman, who had been imprisoned there for four years.
Gilman was flown home to the U.S. and arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland Tuesday evening. President Donald Trump noted that Russia released Gilman “very much on a Humanitarian Basis” and credited members of his administration with helping to make the development possible.
Statistics shared by the U.S. State Department reveal that 109 American citizens who have been “held abroad as hostages, wrongful detainees, or under concerning circumstances” have been brought home since the start of the second Trump administration on Jan. 20, 2025. While Gilman is included in the total, the database of imprisoned Americans brought home has not been updated to include Rideout as of Friday morning.
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