President Donald J. Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived early Thursday morning to greet three Americans as they flew into Joint Base Andrews, outside the U.S. capital, less than 24 hours after their release by North Korea. The three men, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, were released during a visit on Tuesday by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and were in the air less than one hour after being released in North Korea’s capital city, Pyongyang.

Pompeo and the former detainees arrived on two separate planes. Secretary Pompeo touched down first, and the plane carrying the three former detainees arrived about half an hour later at the U.S. military base in suburban Maryland. The plane pulled to a rest in front of a giant U.S. flag, stretched between two cranes on the tarmac. Mr. Trump boarded the plane with the first lady and then emerged at the top of the stairs with the three men to wave, and then walk down onto the tarmac together.

Pompeo greeted them at the bottom of the stairs and was hugged by one of the former prisoners. The three men appeared healthy as they walked toward waiting reporters. President Trump made brief remarks, saying his “proudest achievement will be – this is a part of it – but my proudest achievement will be when we denuclearize” North Korea.

Trump said he “very much appreciated” Kim Jong Un’s release of the prisoners ahead of the two leaders’ looming meeting.

“This is a special night for these three really great people,” Trump said, adding, “Congratulations on being in this country.”

A day after his release, Kim Dong Chul said, through a translator as he stood next to Mr. Trump, being home was “like a dream, and we’re very, very happy.” Asked how he was treated in North Korean custody, Kim only said, “in many different ways.”

President Trump also “paid his respects” to the family of Otto Warmbier as he stood with the freed men. Warmbier was an American student who died shortly after his return to the U.S. last year following his release by North Korea. Warmbier was flown home with severe brain damage, and his parents have sued North Korea over his death.

While the three men are walking on their own strength and appear healthy, they were transported immediately to the military’s Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington for thorough health checks.

“The current priority is to allow the returnees decompression time as they transition. Decompression consists of establishing their routine, providing them with rest, and attending to their nutritional and medical needs,” the Walter Reed hospital said in statement released Thursday. “We want them to be able to process and integrate their experiences in a healthy manner and this will be facilitated by trained professionals.”

In a statement ahead of their return, the three freed men thanked the U.S. government, President Trump and the American people “for bringing us home.”

“We thank God, and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return. God Bless America, the greatest nation in the world,” the three men said in a statement released by the State Department.

Pompeo accompanied the men as he capped his 12-and-a-half hour trip to Pyongyang, which included a 90-minute visit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. 

North Korea released the prisoners as Pompeo visited the country to nail down the details of an upcoming meeting between Kim Jong Un and President Trump. U.S. officials are now planning for the summit to happen in Singapore.

The White House has lauded the Kim regime for releasing the three men, saying it helped to create a positive atmosphere for the upcoming summit.

Trump praised Kim on the tarmac, saying it was “very nice” of him to free the U.S. nationals and speaking optimistically about the prospect of getting North Korea to agree to nuclear disarmament.