Ric Grenell

And as soon as we got in the air, they all clapped. And as soon as we landed in American soil, They all were incredibly grateful. One of them told me, you know, these guys, they have nothing. They didn't have shoelaces anymore. No phones, no clothing. It was freezing cold when we got back to Washington, D.C. And this guy looked at me and he said, I don't have much.

But let me tell you, for the rest of my life, everything I have is yours. And I said, you don't owe me anything. You're an American. And we together do this. And we're bringing it home.

But let me tell you, for the rest of my life, everything I have is yours. And I said, you don't owe me anything. You're an American. And we together do this. And we're bringing it home.

But let me tell you, for the rest of my life, everything I have is yours. And I said, you don't owe me anything. You're an American. And we together do this. And we're bringing it home.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

Well, it's a really good question. And I think in diplomacy, what I've learned is you've got to show up, right? You've got to show up and talk. And so I was asked that question. President Maduro said to me, you know, OK, so we're going to give you these and now these are the things we want. And I said, no, we're giving you a huge gift.

Well, it's a really good question. And I think in diplomacy, what I've learned is you've got to show up, right? You've got to show up and talk. And so I was asked that question. President Maduro said to me, you know, OK, so we're going to give you these and now these are the things we want. And I said, no, we're giving you a huge gift.

Well, it's a really good question. And I think in diplomacy, what I've learned is you've got to show up, right? You've got to show up and talk. And so I was asked that question. President Maduro said to me, you know, OK, so we're going to give you these and now these are the things we want. And I said, no, we're giving you a huge gift.

And the huge gift is that I am here sitting with you and you've got all sorts of cameras around and you're going to use this for propaganda purposes because an American diplomat is sitting here with you. And I get that. It is my job to let you know that we want a different relationship. We're going to put America first. We want the Venezuelans who are in our country illegally out.

And the huge gift is that I am here sitting with you and you've got all sorts of cameras around and you're going to use this for propaganda purposes because an American diplomat is sitting here with you. And I get that. It is my job to let you know that we want a different relationship. We're going to put America first. We want the Venezuelans who are in our country illegally out.

And the huge gift is that I am here sitting with you and you've got all sorts of cameras around and you're going to use this for propaganda purposes because an American diplomat is sitting here with you. And I get that. It is my job to let you know that we want a different relationship. We're going to put America first. We want the Venezuelans who are in our country illegally out.

And there's a lot of them. And we want you to pay for them and bring them back home. And I want our hostages and we want to go down this road of getting back the Americans. And so the gift was a conversation, a hope of a different future and an American diplomat sitting there. And I am very clear eyed. that an American diplomat sitting with Maduro is a controversial thing.

And there's a lot of them. And we want you to pay for them and bring them back home. And I want our hostages and we want to go down this road of getting back the Americans. And so the gift was a conversation, a hope of a different future and an American diplomat sitting there. And I am very clear eyed. that an American diplomat sitting with Maduro is a controversial thing.

And there's a lot of them. And we want you to pay for them and bring them back home. And I want our hostages and we want to go down this road of getting back the Americans. And so the gift was a conversation, a hope of a different future and an American diplomat sitting there. And I am very clear eyed. that an American diplomat sitting with Maduro is a controversial thing.

But I have to say that I think that we have to be able to talk. Talking is a tactic. It is not weakness. It is in the face of looking at someone else, pushing for the American agenda and not backing down. And I think there was a individual from the Biden administration on Twitter attacking me saying, oh, come on, they must have paid or switched Venezuelan hostages for that.

But I have to say that I think that we have to be able to talk. Talking is a tactic. It is not weakness. It is in the face of looking at someone else, pushing for the American agenda and not backing down. And I think there was a individual from the Biden administration on Twitter attacking me saying, oh, come on, they must have paid or switched Venezuelan hostages for that.

But I have to say that I think that we have to be able to talk. Talking is a tactic. It is not weakness. It is in the face of looking at someone else, pushing for the American agenda and not backing down. And I think there was a individual from the Biden administration on Twitter attacking me saying, oh, come on, they must have paid or switched Venezuelan hostages for that.

And I say, no, actually. We're sending Venezuelans back to Venezuela, and we are absolutely giving no money, no hostage switch. It's called diplomacy, and it's what you do when you look at someone and you put America first and you make the arguments that this is what America wants.