Update 3: March 12, 2026

Dear Supporter,

March 12th marks Day 409 that Dennis has been wrongfully detained. While we were in Washington, D.C. this week, Secretary Rubio acted on the executive order President Trump signed last fall and designated Afghanistan as a state sponsor of wrongful detention. Secretary Rubio’s announcement can be found here on the State Department website.

He followed up on social media,

Secretary Marco Rubio @SecRubio 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 10:56 PM • Mar 9, 2026 13027 Retweets 79390 Likes Read 5989 replies

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Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs @StateSPEHA Yesterday, @SecRubio announced Afghanistan's designation as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. The President is focused on ending the cycle of exploitation, ending the cycle in which Americans are viewed as a valuable commodity, that you can grab an American, you can 3:32 PM • Mar 10, 2026 108 Retweets 466 Likes Read 23 replies

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supported by Dr. Gorka, the Deputy Assistant to the President.

Sebastian Gorka DrG @SebGorka Taleban: you have been warned. @FreeDennisCoyle @WhiteHouse https://twitter.com/secrubio/status/2031142209060254088 Secretary Marco Rubio @SecRubio 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 11:15 PM • Mar 9, 2026 81 Retweets 398 Likes Read 55 replies

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Senators, Representatives and White House staff also commented.

Rep Andy Biggs @RepAndyBiggsAZ I applaud this action from the @realDonaldTrump Administration. Let's bring @FreeDennisCoyle home. https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/2031142209060254088 Secretary Marco Rubio @SecRubio 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 9:9 PM • Mar 11, 2026 60 Retweets 312 Likes Read 9 replies

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Michael Bennet @SenatorBennet The Taliban must release Dennis Coyle, a wrongfully detained U.S. citizen from Pueblo, Colorado who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the Afghan people. I join other bipartisan colleagues in welcoming this designation, and will continue working with them to reunite https://twitter.com/secrubio/status/2031142209060254088 Secretary Marco Rubio @SecRubio 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 3:30 PM • Mar 10, 2026 6 Retweets 32 Likes Read 15 replies

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Senator John Cornyn @JohnCornyn It’s past time we @FreeDennisCoyle and bring him home. His sisters, one of whom is a proud Texan, are fighting to rescue their brother from the Taliban in Afghanistan. I was glad to see @SecRubio designate Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention & will continue 5:23 PM • Mar 10, 2026 5 Retweets 44 Likes Read 83 replies

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Senator Ted Budd @SenTedBuddNC The Taliban’s cruel tactics of holding Americans hostage to gain policy concessions must end. @SecRubio’s designation of Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention is crucial to hold the Taliban accountable for terrorism targeting Americans like Dennis Coyle & Mahmoud 7:59 PM • Mar 10, 2026 32 Retweets 106 Likes Read 37 replies

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Rep. Jeff Hurd @RepJeffHurd Dennis Coyle is a constituent of mine from Colorado’s Third District.  My sincere thanks to Secretary Rubio and President Trump for these efforts to secure the release of Dennis and all Americans being held in Afghanistan. My office will continue working to bring Dennis home https://twitter.com/secrubio/status/2031142209060254088 Secretary Marco Rubio @SecRubio 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 3:56 AM • Mar 10, 2026 2 Retweets 10 Likes Read 5 replies

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Rep. María Elvira Salazar @RepMariaSalazar Hostage diplomacy will not be tolerated anymore. @SecRubio has designated regimes like Iran and the Taliban’s Afghanistan as State Sponsors of Wrongful Detention for imprisoning Americans. The message from the Trump Administration is clear: Bring our people home, or face the https://twitter.com/usembcuba/status/2031075578065936427 Embajada de los Estados Unidos en Cuba @USEmbCuba .@SecRubio: “No pararemos hasta que cada uno de los Americanos 🇺🇸 injustamente detenidos sean regresados a casa.” Incluyendo los que están en Cuba. https://x.com/statedept/status/2031021695197196598?s=46&t=s448T3VUq81qZFMVYH2XTw https://twitter.com/statedept/status/2031021695197196598 3:9 PM • Mar 10, 2026 70 Retweets 235 Likes Read 14 replies

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Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman @SenateForeign Another great designation by the Admin. The Taliban has abused taxpayer dollars to fund its terror campaigns, enforced brutal Sharia law, and detained many Americans, including Dennis Coyle and Mahmood Habibi who remain in its grasp. It is time that the Taliban pay for its https://twitter.com/secrubio/status/2031142209060254088 Secretary Marco Rubio @SecRubio 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 12:10 AM • Mar 10, 2026 105 Retweets 457 Likes Read 89 replies

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We had an incredible time in our mighty nation's capital and are so thankful for the time that Secretary Rubio, Dr. Gorka, and Senator Cornyn from Texas and Senator Hickenlooper from Colorado were willing to spend with us.

We have come home with a fresh belief that President Trump and his team can, and will, use everything at their disposal to get our brother Dennis home. You can watch a series of videos on all of our social channels below.

Please follow, like, repost content, and tag your representatives as well as @realdonaldtrump, @SebGorka, @aboehler, @SecRubio and @StateSPEHA

This evening, Thursday, March 12th at 10p.m. Eastern Time, Dennis’ sister Molly will be interviewed on the Katie Pavlich show on NewsNation. Please tune in as we share more of Dennis’ story.

Thank you for standing with us, praying for us, and supporting us at this time as we anticipate Dennis' return home.