Washington D.C. – Axios, April 16, 2025
President Trump expanded the portfolio of his adviser Adam Boehler and appointed him as special envoy for hostage response, according to a notification sent to Congress on April 4 and obtained by Axios.
Boehler will coordinate across agencies on hostage issues and report to Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The intrigue: Boehler faced a political firestorm in March after Axios revealed he had met directly with Hamas officials — making him the first U.S. official ever to do so.
Although those talks were approved by Trump, they sparked anger among some Senate Republicans, some of whom took the issue up privately with the White House.
In mid-March, Boehler withdrew his nomination as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, a position that requires Senate confirmation.
The new appointment is temporary and does not require Senate approval.
