Negotiating Freedom: Inside the High Stakes Missions to Rescue American Hostages Abroad

Mickey Bergman is a former special-operations veteran from the Israel Defense Forces who now directs Global Reach and the Richardson Center for Global Engagement. Bergman is on the forefront of negotiating the release of political prisoners and hostages worldwide. He is also the author of the new book, In the Shadows: True Stories of High-Stakes Negotiations to Free Americans Captured Abroad.

In the past decade, he has orchestrated daring operations to free Americans held in some of the toughest global hotspots, including Iran, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela, Syria, Gambia, and Sudan. He was instrumental in helping negotiate the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner from Russia, as well as Marine Corps. Veteran Trevor Reed.

In this episode of Frank Buckley Interviews, Bergman shares firsthand accounts of his missions, discusses the art of negotiation under extreme circumstances, and sheds light on the importance of emotional intelligence in resolving international crises.