FBI’s new Indian American director Kash Patel has said that the elite investigation agency will work to “zero out” the population of Americans detained or held hostage in foreign countries.
“My singular promise to you in this community is that I will do everything as the director of the FBI to marshal the resources necessary to make sure that no other American family feels that pain,” he said Thursday at a State Department ceremony honoring the hostage community and their families.
READ: ‘Enemies list’ delays Kash Patel’s Senate confirmation as FBI director (February 7, 2025)
Patel spoke at an event to observe the second-ever U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day a day after Trump welcomed eight former hostages who had been held by U.S.-designated terror group Hamas to the White House.
“We still don’t have everybody back,” Patel said. “Whatever lawful authorities we have at the FBI, we are going to give 24/7, 365 days to make sure that we zero out this number and to make sure we prevent others from going into situations that you are now all too familiar with.”
The FBI houses a multiagency fusion cell that handles hostage cases involving Americans in foreign countries.
The government is also trying to secure the release of remaining American hostages held by Hamas, with Adam Boehler, President Donald Trump’s pick to be special envoy for hostage affairs, leading direct talks with the militant group.
READ: Kash Patel blasts FBI for ‘endangering his life’ (August 29, 2022)
“Our policies are 100% focused on returning people home,” said Boehler as cited by VOA. “You’ll see some announcements in the coming days,” without providing further details.
“President Trump is committed to bringing home all Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas. This includes the Americans and all other hostages that Hamas is still holding hostage in Gaza,” a State Department spokesperson told VOA. “Efforts to bring them home are ongoing and sensitive – we do not have any meetings to announce or readout at this time.”
March 9 marks 18 years since former FBI agent Robert Levinson was abducted in Iran. In recognition of this, Congress, with bipartisan support, designated the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024.