WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is meeting with an American citizen who had been held captive in Yemen for 18 months.

Trump announced last month that Danny Burch had been freed in what the State Department suggested was a rescue operation.

Trump calls the meeting in the Oval Office a “very big moment,” adding, “Danny, welcome home.”

Trump on Wednesday hailed Burch’s return as an example of his administration’s commitment to free Americans held in foreign captivity.

He says: “This is the end result. A happy man with a happy family.”

In a statement, Trump thanked the United Arab Emirates for its role in reuniting Burch with his family.

He tweeted: “Danny’s recovery reflects the best of what the United States and its partners can accomplish.”