WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray have formally urged President Donald Trump to take immediate action to help secure the release of Joseph St. Clair, a Washington state resident and U.S. Air Force veteran currently imprisoned in Venezuela.
St. Clair, 33, has been officially designated by the U.S. State Department as wrongfully detained. In a letter addressed to the president, the senators expressed concern about St. Clair’s mental health, citing his diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and warned that his continued detention could further jeopardize his well-being.
The senators called for urgent executive intervention, emphasizing the need for high-level diplomatic efforts to bring St. Clair back to the United States.
St. Clair is one of nine American citizens currently detained in Venezuela under contested circumstances. Venezuelan authorities have not released full details surrounding his arrest.
Family members and advocacy groups have echoed the senators’ concerns, urging the U.S. government to prioritize the case and accelerate diplomatic negotiations.
