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Saudi Arabia has permitted US citizen Saad Almadi to come back to Florida, five months ahead of the scheduled lifting of travel restrictions and a day after the kingdom's leader and prime minister met the former US president at the White House.

Legal Case Overview

Almadi, seventy-five, was given 19 years of incarceration in the kingdom in 2021 after he posted 14 tweets critical of the Riyadh government. After 24 months, the allegations were modified to so-called "cyber crimes" and he was given a 30-year ban on departing from Saudi Arabia.

"Our family is overjoyed that, after four long years, our father, Saad Almadi, is at last on his way home to the United States!"

The declaration that Almadi, a dual citizen and retired engineer who had resided in the US since the 1970s, would be allowed to depart the country came after the US president delivered a speech promoting US-Saudi ties, including weapons deals and investment deals.

Political Acknowledgments

"This day would not have been possible without President Donald Trump and the tireless efforts of his administration. We are deeply grateful to Dr Sebastian Gorka and the team at the security advisory board, as well as everyone at the state department," the statement continued.

The statement by Almadi's son, Ibrahim Almadi, also thanked various charitable groups, including the James Foley Fund and Hostages America, and House speaker Mike Johnson for backing the elder Almadi's cause. He subsequently shared on social media that his father was on his way to the US.

Broader Context

Almadi is one of a handful of American people with dual nationality facing exit bans from Saudi Arabia following a clampdown on digital criticism. His son has previously claimed that Almadi was coerced to sign papers renouncing his US citizenship.

The legal proceedings involving Almadi centered on social media posts in which he was accused of urged Saudi citizens to seek Lebanese citizenship and faulted the kingdom's defenses against Houthi rocket strikes.

Additionally, he expressed approval for the rededication of a street in the US capital after Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist and Washington Post columnist murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

Khashoggi Case

US intelligence reports published by the Biden administration later assessed that the crown prince had authorized of a plan to "capture or kill" Khashoggi.

Questioned regarding the killing, Trump said the crown prince "knew nothing" of Khashoggi's killing. The Saudi crown prince has denied any wrongdoing. He said at the White House that Saudi Arabia "did all the right things" to examine Khashoggi's death, which he called "painful" and a "huge mistake".

International Efforts

US pressure to free Almadi and allow him to come back to the US has been increasing since Trump's trip to Saudi Arabia in May. Many urged Trump's claim that he is particularly effective in bringing back US citizens detained overseas.

When asked by a reporter in May about the case, Trump said he wasn't aware about it but promised to investigate. A few weeks later, one of his security advisors, Gorka, met the son at the White House.

"President Trump is the president of deals and he enjoys working with the Saudis and we will secure your father's release," Johnson said.