WASHINGTON, D.C. — First Lady Melania Trump met privately at the White House on Wednesday with freed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, marking an emotional reunion after what the First Lady described as a long and painful journey toward his liberation from Hamas captivity.
The meeting also included Siegel’s wife, Aviva Siegel, whose earlier conversation with Mrs. Trump in January 2025 helped ignite a chain of events that ultimately led to Keith’s return.
“That first meeting with Aviva Siegel served as a catalyst to the events leading up to Keith’s freedom,” Mrs. Trump said. “It was clear that day… that Aviva Siegel’s human spirit would move mountains to rescue her husband.”
The moment underscored what supporters say has been a defining hallmark of the Trump White House: personal engagement, moral clarity, and unwavering resolve in the fight to bring Americans home.
A Full-Circle Moment for the Siegel Family
Keith Siegel, who endured months of captivity under Hamas, expressed deep gratitude for the First Lady’s compassion and persistence during the ordeal.
“I was deeply moved to hear from the First Lady about the meetings she held with my wife, Aviva, while I was in captivity,” Siegel said, “and about the strength and support she gave to the families of the hostages throughout that difficult journey.”
Aviva Siegel, visibly emotional during today’s meeting, called the reunion “profoundly full circle.”
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to First Lady Melania Trump,” she said. “I am endlessly grateful for Mrs. Trump’s steadfast support over these painful two years.”
A Handmade Book That Reached the President
During Aviva’s first meeting with Mrs. Trump in New York City earlier this year, she presented the First Lady with a handmade book detailing her husband’s story and the horrors of the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Mrs. Trump later shared the book and Keith’s story directly with President Trump that same evening — a personal gesture that helped elevate the hostage crisis to the highest levels of attention inside the White House.
“Tremendous Efforts” Recognized
Siegel credited both the First Lady and President Trump for their leadership in securing hostage releases and keeping pressure on terrorist forces.
“I am grateful to the First Lady and to the President for their tremendous efforts to secure the return of the hostages, and my own return,” he said.
