White House calls Dennis Coyle’s release from Afghanistan a 'promise kept' by Trump
In January, President Donald J. Trump vowed to secure the release of Dennis Coyle.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 24, 2026
Today, after more than a year of captivity in Afghanistan, Dennis Coyle is free and heading home to America.
Another Promise Made, Promise Kept. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/QTX60YKI0k
WASHINGTON, D.C.: After American researcher Dennis Coyle was released from detention in Afghanistan on Tuesday, March 24, the White House hailed his release as another promise kept by Trump.
Dennis Coyle spent 420 days in an Afghan jail for violating unspecified laws and was released after the Supreme Court of Afghanistan deemed his detention as "sufficient."
‘Promise made, promise kept’: White House
An X handle, @whitehouse, posted a photo of Dennis Coyle with several people around him, apparently officials and flight staff, onboard a plane returning to America. The post praised Trump's efforts to negotiate the researcher's release, stating that “President Trump had vowed to secure the release of Dennis Coyle” in January, and he has fulfilled that promise.
“Today, after more than a year of captivity in Afghanistan, Dennis Coyle is free and heading home to America. Another Promise Made, Promise Kept,” the X post read. Afghanistan freed Coyle after more than a year in detention, reportedly after pressure from the Trump administration.
The US government welcomed the release of Dennis Coyle and called for the release of other American citizens, who are being ‘unjustly’ held in Afghanistan.
Today, I am designating Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. The Taliban continue to use terrorist tactics to seek policy concessions, but it won’t work under this administration. The Taliban must release Dennis Coyle, Mahmood Habibi, and all Americans unjustly…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 9, 2026
An American researcher was detained for 420 days
Researcher Dennis Coyle, working as a language researcher, according to his family, was arrested in January 2025. Coyle was released on Tuesday as the Afghan government pardoned him to mark Eid al-Fitr, the holiday at the end of Ramadan.
He was freed after spending 420 days in detention, as the Afghan administration deemed his imprisonment as ‘sufficient.’
Coyle came after Afghanistan’s Supreme Court ‘considered his previous imprisonment sufficient’ following a release appeal from his family.
Afghan govt provides no details of violations by Coyle
The Afghan government had said that he had violated unspecified laws, but did not provide further details in violations. In a statement released on X, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said, "The esteemed authority of the Supreme Court deemed his prior imprisonment sufficient, and today he was handed over to his family in Kabul."
Coyle arrived in Afghanistan in the 2000s for research
Dennis Coyle arrived in Afghanistan in the early 2000s with the goal of studying the Afghan language and helping local communities develop resources in their native languages, according to the family website.
According to his relatives, quoted by the BBC, Coyle was not charged with any crime but was kept in near-solitary conditions, raising concerns about his health.
Feels 'very blessed’: Dennis Coyle after release
Researcher Dennis Coyle told NewNation that he feels "very blessed" after being released from Taliban captivity. While en route to the United States from Afghanistan, Coyle, in an exclusive interview with "CUOMO," described himself as blessed and expressed gratitude to those who worked for his release.
“I’m very appreciative.…There hasn’t been a hint of sleep; there’s a lot of adrenaline now,” Coyle said. “I’m very appreciative for many people who invested a lot. I’m very blessed for this moment.”
