In a nail-biting finish to President Joe Biden’s term, a long-awaited prisoner exchange finally went through. The Taliban agreed to release two Americans, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, in return for Khan Mohammed, a Taliban member serving a life sentence in the U.S. for narco-terrorism. The deal, delayed by bad weather and political timing, was completed just as Donald Trump returned to the White House.

The swap was facilitated by Qatar, which hosted negotiations and provided logistical support. Mohammed was flown to Doha, where the exchange took place. While the Biden team had worked on the deal for years, the Trump administration later claimed they wouldn’t have made the same agreement. Still, both sides celebrated the return of the two Americans.

Corbett, who had been living in Afghanistan for over a decade, was detained in 2022 while trying to renew his business visa. McKenty’s circumstances remain unclear, with officials offering few details. The Biden administration expressed disappointment that two other Americans, George Glezmann and Mahmoud Habibi, weren’t part of the deal but emphasized they couldn’t pass up the chance to bring Corbett and McKenty home.

The Taliban welcomed the exchange, calling it a step toward better relations with the U.S. However, the Biden administration has not officially recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan’s government. This swap marks one of the final acts of an administration still grappling with the fallout from the chaotic 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Corbett’s family, who had been vocal about his declining health, expressed gratitude but also urged continued efforts to free Glezmann and Habibi. “We cannot imagine the pain our good fortune will bring them,” they said in a statement.

This high-stakes exchange underscores the challenges of negotiating with the Taliban and the ongoing efforts to bring home Americans detained abroad. With 80 Americans freed under Biden’s watch, this deal adds to a legacy of diplomatic wins—even as questions linger about the future of U.S.-Taliban relations.